What is this project, and what is this project not?

• What this project is: A targeted effort designed to restore surface infrastructure in a timely fashion to support economic recovery for local businesses. The scope includes repairing historic brick sidewalks, granite curbs, and accessible pedestrian ramps, alongside landscaping improvements and street tree replacements across three primary corridors: Biltmore Plaza/Kitchin Place, Boston Way, and Swan Street.

• What this project is not: A broad stormwater overhaul or long-term flood mitigation initiative. We know this is a deeply felt concern for the community. This project does not have the scope to address larger regional stormwater system issues or implement measures to mitigate damage from future major flood events.

Happening Now

This project is in the design phase. The City is using an in-house design approach that supports a more expedited timeline, which business and property owners in Biltmore Village have highlighted as a need.

In July and August of 2026, the project team asked the community for input on the tree removal/replacement approach. Find out more information about this input opportunity using the following resources:

• Online input (July 22 - August 11): dynamic report and survey questions

• Presentation at joint recovery board meeting on August 25, 2026: video and presentation slides

Final designs will reflect stakeholder input while ensuring compliance with accessibility requirements as well as the historic district standards. 

Next Milestone: Share out final design plans and select a construction contractor

This project is being implemented in coordination with the Biltmore Village Lighting Recovery project.

Background 

As the gateway to the Biltmore Estate, Biltmore Village is one of the most highly trafficked commercial nodes in Asheville. It was listed as a “multiple resource area” in the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 and was subsequently designated as a local historic district in 1987. 

City Planning and Urban Design (PUD) staff conducted an initial site investigation in Summer 2025, which involved visual assessment, documentation, GIS data verification, initial project scoping, and cost estimation. To meet the constraints of a specific funding opportunity (NC Dept. of Commerce Small Biz Infrastructure Grant Program), the team focused on addressing tree and infrastructure needs, specifically damage and ADA-compliance issues, along the primary corridors within the district's core where over 50 businesses were/are located.

In Fall 2025, the City submitted the required grant application materials, including a project summary, cost estimations, a timeline, supporting small business tax information, and a Preliminary Landscape Architecture Report. The City was subsequently awarded just under $2.5 million from the NC Department of Commerce’s Small Biz Infrastructure Grant Program to complete this work.

The project scope for the grant application was strategically selected due to the per-county funding cap of the grant program, as Buncombe County was also seeking funding from the same program.

In addition to the grant-funded work, Planning & Urban Design staff also developed cost estimations for the same types of repairs on All Souls Crescent, Angle Street, and Village Lane. Staff is actively exploring other funding avenues, such as Tourism Development Authority LIFT grant, to implement this expanded scope as part of the overall recovery project.

This project aligns with the City’s infrastructure and economic recovery efforts and several planning documents, including:

• The Biltmore Village Development Plan (1992)

• The Biltmore Village Historic District Design Standards (1988)

• The 2018 Living Asheville Comprehensive Plan

• The Historic Preservation Master Plan for Asheville & Buncombe County (2015)