Progress on Eagle & Market Streetscape Design
With design contracting complete, designers at Perkins + Will North Carolina Inc. and the project team are actively translating the community vision established through Boosting the Block into initial design concepts.
Current Focus
The design team’s work is being informed by site reviews, prior public feedback, and briefing materials on community context. These onboarding materials will help ensure that the area’s cultural narrative and historical identity remain central to the design.
Public workshops and online feedback opportunities are anticipated this fall. Dates, locations, and participation details will be shared in our next update.
Upcoming Milestones
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TDA LIFT Awards: The project team has applied for a LIFT grant to support this project, which would enhance public gathering spaces, wayfinding elements and creative cultural features in addition to extending the overall project footprint. Award announcements are expected on October 1, 2026.
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Community Engagement (Fall 2026): Stakeholders and community members will have the opportunity to evaluate early concepts and provide feedback on:
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Proposed streetscape design including street/sidewalk changes, specialty materials, spaces for gathering, and site furnishings
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Neighborhood identity and wayfinding elements
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Form, function, materials, and placement options for the cultural gateway feature
By the end of 2026, the team will incorporate the public feedback into finalized designs and construction plans, paving the way for physical construction to begin in late-2027 following permitting.
Alongside the overall project design, staff will administer a competitive selection process for an artist/fabricator to fully develop the cultural gateway feature.
Project Resources
Other City Projects Near Eagle/Market
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Municipal Building Construction Begins: Construction began this week on the Municipal Building at 100 Court Plaza, home to Asheville Police Department headquarters and Asheville Fire Department’s (AFD) Station 1. Equipment staging will occupy AFD parking spaces along Market, Eagle, and Spruce streets. Special events will proceed unaffected. Minor noise and traffic disruptions are limited to weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., while emergency services and the police station will remain fully operational.
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Arts and Cultural Center: City staff has identified "Parkside", a 2.43-acre, seven-parcel parking lot adjacent to City Hall bounded by Marjorie, Market, and Eagle streets and Davidson Drive, as the project site for an arts and entertainment center. The City expects an initial draft of the economic and cultural impact study to guide business plans and opportunities for funding. The City anticipates issuing a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for development partners this fall.
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