After months of debate, on Oct. 9 Asheville City Council passed the controversial plan for a downtown Business Improvement District 5-2. Council changed the proposed makeup of the BID’s governing board, and will set a tax rate and other specifics for the district at a later date.
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LIVE: Twitter coverage of the Oct. 9 Asheville City Council meeting
The vote on a Business Improvement District in downtown dominates this evening’s Asheville City Council agenda. Follow live Twitter coverage here.
BID opponents unconvinced by new plan
If the opinions of representatives from two groups of opponents of a Business Improvement District are any indication, the revised proposal revealed by the interim board late last week has failed to win them over. Asheville City Council votes on approval of the BID tonight, Oct. 9.
City within a city: A look at what’s changed (and hasn’t) in the new BID proposal
Asheville City Council will vote on the controversial proposal for a downtown Business Improvement District tomorrow night, Oct. 9. A look at what’s changed — and what hasn’t — in the new proposal, and why the BID’s architects crafted it the way they did.
Revised BID proposal: delayed ambassadors, shorter borders, adjusted board
The Interim BID Board has released its revised proposal for a Business Improvement District in downtown Asheville. The new proposal shortens the borders of the district, delays the controversial ambassador safety program, and changes the composition of the governing board, as well as opening the possibility of a lower tax to fund the district.
Another done deal
As a downtown Asheville resident who has been involved with issues of development and “infill” projects from the beginning, I want to be clear about what I am for and what I am against. I am for good paying jobs for working people. I am for increased business for our local merchants. I am for […]
McKibbon Hotel Group unveils plans for Haywood Street project
At an Aug. 7 informational meeting at the U.S. Cellular Center, the McKibbon Hotel Group laid out its plans for a hotel and plaza on city-owned property across from the St. Lawrence Basilica in downtown Asheville. The city is considering McKibbon’s proposal, but hasn’t endorsed or committed to any project yet.
Then and now: Asheville Downtown Association turns 25
Downtown Asheville was a profoundly different place back in 1987, when the Asheville Downtown Association was launched. Many of today's landmark buildings were shuttered or hidden behind aluminum façades, and there was very little nightlife. Asheville's now thriving culinary, artistic and cultural scenes were in their infancy. “When they started the ADA, it was because […]
Fountain returns to Pritchard Park
On time and schedule, work has been completed on the fountain areas of Pritchard Park by Downtown Asheville Resident Neighbors (pictured are Trina Mullen, DARN president and fountain designer Jill Haynie, right; photo by Bill Rhodes)
New café brings a taste of Biltmore Estate to downtown Asheville
The Biltmore Coffee Co. opened on Aug.1 at 1 N. Pack Square, on the ground floor of the I.M. Pei-designed building that houses Biltmore’s corporate offices and Merrill Lynch. “What makes us unique is everyone here worked at the Biltmore Estate,” says Clorietha Fenton, the café‘s general manager. “We brought our quality and our standards and our hospitality to downtown Asheville.” (Pictured, left to right: Cloreitha Fenton and Robert Bickford, manager.) Photo by Megan Dombroski
Towns, fire chiefs oppose Asheville BID due to loss of sales tax revenue
The proposed downtown Asheville Business Improvement District isn’t just controversial within the city limits: four towns, along with the Buncombe County Fire Chiefs’ Association, oppose the measure because it will reduce the sales-tax revenue they receive from the county.
Differing views at downtown Asheville BID meeting
About 60 people — ranging from condo owners to the homeless — showed up at tonight’s public-input meeting on the proposed Business Improvement District for downtown Asheville. However, critics said they felt the process was slanted towards BID proponents. Photos by Max Cooper.
Twitter coverage of the downtown BID public meeting
Follow live Twitter coverage of the city’s public input meeting on the controversial proposal for a Business Improvement District in downtown Asheville. The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Asheville Civic Center ballroom.
Lots of vacation time?
The BID program proposes a staff of 14 employees to cover the downtown business district. What will these 14 employees be doing the three to four winter months when there are few visitors to Asheville downtown? In addition to the slack time in winter, during the rest of the year downtown is busy from Wednesday […]
Tactical urbanism: “Parklet” coming to Lexington Avenue parking spots
A “parklet” including plants, benches and a bike rack may soon take over Lexington Avenue parking spots, as the Downtown Commission endorsed the project last week. The initiative is the first major effort from Open Asheville, a new nonprofit, to apply “tactical urbanism” to downtown.
The BID comes back: City seeks input at tonight’s meeting
After more than a month of relative quiet, the controversial proposal to create a Business Improvement District in downtown Asheville is back in the public eye, as the city will hold a public input meeting tonight, July 17, at 5:30 p.m. in the U.S. Cellular Center ballroom.
PHOTOS: Magic Love Bus concludes coast-to-coast tour in downtown Asheville
A colorful bus reminiscent of the Merry Pranksters Tour Bus took residence in downtown Asheville today to celebrate the conclusion of the Magic Love Bus 2012 LovEvolution Tour.
APD arrests William Lamm for downtown break-ins
The search for an Asheville man suspected of breaking into and vandalizing the Haywood Park offices and the Flat Iron building ended this morning, when Asheville Police Department officers arrested William Clifton Lamm, 35, for the crimes.
Please help keep Asheville green and beautiful
To Asheville City Council: Please set an example for future generations by creating a beautiful park in front of the Basilica. This park will live on for generations as a reminder of why people love to live in Asheville — its natural beauty. When you do this, you will be remembered as the City Council […]
Let us, the people, support a new park
Please have a park next to the Basilica of St. Lawrence. They have offered money for the lot. Let us, the people, support them even with our money, even with a small donation. We have enough hotels downtown. What we need is more green space with trees. — Harry and Genelda Woggon Asheville
Who’s improving whom?
About 40 people gathered in Pack Memorial Library’s Lord Auditorium for a June 5 forum on the proposed business improvement district for downtown Asheville. The event was organized by StopAVLBID, and many in attendance opposed the idea. The group describes itself as a coalition that “includes activists working within the Occupy movement, local cooperatives, community […]