Asheville is working on plans to build 117 new homes. This new manufacturing would happen on the site of a long-vacant confectionary factory. This partnership is focused on the long-term redevelopment of the entire community. Ever since the factory buildings came crashing down a few years ago, it’s been plagued by brushfire and hooliganism.
The additional proposed residential development will provide diverse housing types that serve prospective residents of various means and backgrounds. The plans outline one-bedroom apartments, two-bedroom houses, three-bedroom houses, and four-bedroom houses, ensuring that potential residents can find suitable accommodations. Developers purposefully build different types of housing. By taking this approach, it means that the site can be enjoyed by both families and individuals.
The factory, once the largest employer in the county and a showpiece of American manufacturing, was removed years after it closed its doors. Shortly after its closure, the land quickly became an under-utilized lot overtaken by weeds and vegetation. Without ongoing operations and maintenance, vandals have broken into the abandoned structures and surrounding area. This has lured the flies of dubious scrutiny and eroded the site’s charm even more.
Local officials couldn’t be happier with the new smart growth housing. They view it as a keystone project in an effort to revitalize the area’s most blighted and neglected neighborhoods. They’re convinced that adding new homes to the site will help get much-needed housing built there. Besides these environmental benefits, it will create a safer and more desirable community standard in the neighborhood.
The project represents a broader trend of repurposing derelict industrial sites into residential communities, which has gained traction in recent years. By transforming these neglected spaces into walkable, affordable communities, cities can help solve their housing crises and foster more sustainable growth patterns.
