New downtown development specialist and Asheville native Dana Frankel took time from her busy schedule to speak with Xpress about growing up in the city, her role among downtown stakeholders, facilitating equity around the central business district and what makes Asheville special to her.
“Through Julian Price’s many efforts, things began to turn around, and a cleaner, more pedestrian-friendly downtown took shape.”
“History should be left alone to be understood and appreciated. It should not be a matter of current approval. Some of us respect Vance.”
“But except for several buildings from earlier periods, I feel that [Asheville’s] late architecture represents a tide of mediocrity that needs to be reversed.”
“I’m not sure she has convinced me of the architectural significance of the building, but she has convinced me that the solution she is proposing is worth discussing.”
In her 2015 book The Rise of Asheville: An Exceptional History of Community Building, author Marilyn Ball looks at an often-ignored historical period: the recent past.
“Asheville has to do better. The ‘end justifies the means’ approach is unacceptable.”
“Let’s preserve Asheville before we destroy it.”
At the Oct. 14 Asheville mayoral and City Council candidate forum at Pack’s Tavern, contenders discussed pressing downtown issues highlighted in a survey by the Asheville Downtown Association.
From cleanliness to crime and toplessness to construction, the seven candidates voiced their opinions on key issues affecting the city and its residents. (pictured: John Miall and Jonathan Wainscott; photo by Max Cooper)
Around 4:45 p.m. this afternoon, Asheville Police received a call that two men were fighting in front of the Decko Gecko sculpture in Pritchard Park in downtown Asheville. When officers got to the scene, Lt. Wally Welch explains, they found that one man had been struck in the head with a cane and cut with a knife; the other man had been cut on his cheek. ***WARNING This post contains a graphic image with blood*** (Photo by Max Cooper)
Xpress reporter Caitlin Byrd spent a few hours down at the 11th annual Lexington Avenue Arts and Fun Festival. These are a few photos from the day. (Photo by Caitlin Byrd)
Amid talk of higher taxes and better services, City Council may soon decide whether downtown Asheville gets a business improvement district. Many city residents first encountered the term in 2009, when Boston-based consultants Goody Clancy recommended the idea in their draft of what became Asheville’s Downtown Master Plan. Council adopted the plan later that year, […]
With the second vote on allowing food trucks in downtown Asheville, City Council members have a full agenda for today’s Sept. 13 meeting. For live dispatches from Senior News Reporter David Forbes, look here, or follow #davidforbes or #avlgov on Twitter.
Reports of the Downtown Market closing have been greatly exaggerated. A plucky group of 25 artists, craftspeople and antique dealers have banded together to keep the central core of the market open until First Bank or the successful bidder acquires the building later this month. The building did not go dark on July 1 as […]
There must be “aliens” among us. I see them daily in the Asheville area, running red lights and never using turn signals. I have experienced several near misses by these folks. And apparently, there are more alien drivers in Asheville than in the Chicago area, where I drove accident- and ticket-free for 37 years. I […]
A Downtown Commission meeting got heated this morning, with a clash between a restaurant owner and the husband of a food-truck operator.
From funk jams (like Lubriphonic, pictured here) to country rock and from steel pan to sacred steel, this year’s Downtown After 5 lineup has it all. The first free block party takes place Friday, May 20.
I grew up here, attended preschool at both First Presbyterian downtown and Asbury United Methodist, [and visited] the north branch of the library when it was behind First Union Bank. I frequented Beanstreets and Reader’s Corner. I’ve watched this town and all the changes it’s been through. Businesses come and go, and some preschools might […]
Photographs of snowy scenes around Asheville. Photo by Jonathan Welch
Photos from the Friday, Aug. 20 Downtown After 5.
The urban apparel shop closed this month, and a goodbye party will be at the Emerald Lounge August 25.
