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 French Broad Riverfront parks system 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.

Background

On September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene caused catastrophic damage to the region. Areas closest to the waterways were hardest hit with flooding. The 200+ acres of parks and recreation amenities, facilities and greenway network along the French Broad Riverfront was completely submerged during the flooding after the storm.

The project area encompasses five miles including portions on both sides of the river, stretching from the western side of City limits downstream from Hominy Creek to just below the Jeff Bowen Bridge (I-240). City-owned assets in the project area generally include:

• Carrier Park

• French Broad River Park

• Amboy Riverfront Park

• Jean Webb Park

• Craven Street Trailhead Park

• Craven Street Bridge Boating Access Area

• Wilma Dykeman Greenway

• French Broad River Greenway

• 327 Riverside Drive Storage Facility
   

French Broad Riverfront Parks Recovery 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 French Broad Riverfront Parks Recovery project follows RFQ postings for repairs to the Municipal Golf Course and a project to improve water treatment plants. In the near term, the community can expect the start of an additional project that encompasses City-owned assets on the Swannanoa Riverfront adjacent to Azalea Road (including but not limited to Recreation Park, Azalea Park, and the John B. Lewis Soccer Complex concession and restroom facility).

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.