Happening Now

The City of Asheville has posted a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for an experienced team of design and engineering professionals to help the City envision and restore the riverfront recreation complex on Azalea Road after catastrophic damage from Hurricane Helene. Through the RFQ process, the City of Asheville seeks to engage an experienced design team to develop a comprehensive design plan. This plan will produce designs and cost estimates for priority projects identified and developed collaboratively with community residents, stakeholder groups, and partner agencies. As the project progresses, more information about community input opportunities will be made available.

Next Milestone: Design Phase

Using a phased approach, public access will be maximized throughout the duration of the project, allowing as many amenities as possible to be open for public use.  

JBL Complex: Under the City’s current lease agreement with Asheville Buncombe Youth Soccer Association (ABYSA), ABYSA is responsible for maintenance and repair of fields at the JBL Complex. The City continues to work with ABYSA to provide quality fields for recreational and tournament soccer. It is anticipated that the athletic fields will open for use well before the Azalea Parks and Infrastructure Recovery project is complete.

Background

On September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene caused catastrophic damage to the region. Areas closest to the waterways were hardest hit with flooding, including the area historically dubbed as “Asheville’s Playground” that is home to recreation facilities and important transportation infrastructure along the Swannanoa River and Azalea Road. City-owned assets addressed in this project include but are not limited to:

• Gashes Creek Bridge and Dam

• Recreation Park (including public swimming pool and bathhouse)

• Outdoor Recreation Facility (formerly Mama T’s)

• John B. Lewis (JBL) Soccer Complex Building 

• Azalea Road East

• Azalea Dog Park

Project Area Map

Funding and Overall Recovery Strategy

The City of Asheville is sequencing recovery projects strategically to ensure an efficient and effective rebuilding process.

Cost recovery through federal disaster relief funding programs is essential in making this project possible. The City of Asheville seeks to accomplish this primarily through the FEMA Public Assistance Program, with significant supplemental funding from the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Relief (CDBG-DR) program. Additional funding sources may include the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, grants from other agencies or partners, and local capital fund dollars. The kick off of the Azalea Parks and Infrastructure Recovery project follows RFQ postings for rebuilding the French Broad Riverfront, repairs to the Municipal Golf Course, and a project to improve water treatment plants. Alongside these relatively complex projects, smaller repairs are being made to other City-owned parks, streets, and facilities. Active examples include roof repairs to the Municipal Building and Thomas Wolfe Auditorium and an assessment of Historic Biltmore Village street lights damaged by the storm. 

In conjunction with storm recovery efforts, the City continues to advance its Capital Improvement Plan as well as bond projects. The integration of these initiatives ensures a coordinated effort to strengthen Asheville’s infrastructure and economic stability.

For more information on storm recovery in Asheville, visit ashevillerecovers.org.