Asheville’s city officials are advancing towards unveiling a disaster recovery strategy to the City Council, following the conclusion of their third and final public consultation session this week.
This plan outlines the allocation of $225 million in federal aid from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for Hurricane Helene recovery efforts.
Central to the city’s proposal is a focus on infrastructure, earmarked at $130 million. Economic revitalization will receive approximately $50 million, while housing is allocated $29 million.
Among the prospective infrastructure initiatives discussed in the sessions is the potential development of a new performing arts center. ArtsAVL and other groups have highlighted the current condition of the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium as inadequate.
“Due to these severe limitations, it is time to explore the feasibility of building a new multi-use arts facility – especially if this investment provides the unique opportunity to leverage additional private partnerships,” the group said in a call to action earlier this month.
Michael Lusick, a commercial real estate professional, expressed at the final session this week that such a venue could significantly benefit the community.
“It provides opportunity for our artists to have a place to perform, which is about our local community,” Lusick said. “It provides the kind of jobs that people in housing assistance can get, that are good jobs, entry-level jobs, and quite a few of them, and support some businesses locally. But in the long term, something like that would provide the economic resiliency that we need so our small businesses next time won’t have to suffer like they’re suffering this time.”
Conversely, some community members remain skeptical about prioritizing a performance space. David Greenson, a grassroots organizer, voiced his concerns at a previous session.
“I’d like to hear more about the rationale for that within the context of recovery,” Greenson said. “I’m a big fan of the performing arts, but … I guess compared to all the other needs, I’m wondering why that would factor in.”
City representatives clarified that no definitive decisions have been reached and emphasized that provisions for arts and cultural facilities were included at the behest of elected officials.
James Shelton, head of the community development division within the city’s Community and Economic Development Department, addressed Greenson’s inquiry by noting that any arts facility construction would need to comply with strict federal requirements.
“The way that we would have to make that work is, under an infrastructure program, you have to ask the question of who benefits,” Shelton said. “And within the context of this program, we have to answer that with, ‘It has to be low-to-moderate income people, for the most part.’ Right? 70% required, so we can’t fund a performing arts center without it fitting within this program’s guidelines.”
The city plans to present their funding framework to the City Council on April 8, detailing broad spending categories without specific projects.
Residents can review the draft action plan and provide feedback online until April 3 at AshevilleRecovers.org.
