Buncombe County to Transform Former JCPenney Site into Emergency Operations Hub
The former JCPenney location at Asheville Mall is on the brink of a new chapter, as Buncombe County intends to acquire the site for $5 million to establish its first dedicated emergency operations center. This strategic move was revealed by county officials on May 27.
Designed to be the permanent base for the Emergency Services Department, the facility will enhance the county’s capabilities in training, preparedness, and disaster response planning. This development comes after a long search initiated in response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, which tragically claimed 43 lives in the area.
Key priorities for the center were highlighted in the county’s Preparedness Action Plan and Helene Recovery Plan.
According to Timothy Love, Buncombe’s assistant county manager, “Coming out of that storm, the county’s gone through a pretty detailed process in public to understand, kind of, what went well and not only how we can recover, but how we could respond better in the future.” The site may also accommodate public safety communications like 911 services.
This relocation could necessitate upgrading current equipment, potentially lowering maintenance costs and addressing significant issues at the over-century-old Irwin Hills facility, which currently houses these systems.
Timothy Love emphasized the advantages of the former JCPenney site, citing its central location and the capacity to house various agencies. “We cast a wide net on this and evaluated lots of different properties that worked or didn’t work along the way and there’s a variety of variables that go into that,” Love stated.
The county aims to utilize general funds earmarked for capital improvement to finance the purchase. Subsequent steps include conducting design, engineering, and resilience enhancements, with a move-in target set for 2028.
A decisive moment awaits as the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners is poised to vote on the purchase authorization at its June 2 meeting. If approved, the transaction is expected to finalize on June 8.
