ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The city is moving forward with early planning to dispose of surplus properties, including 91 Riverside Drive and the historic fire station at 300 Merrimon Ave., as officials explore long-term redevelopment and activation options for underused city land.
During a Thursday, April 23, 2026, City Council agenda briefing, staff outlined preliminary strategies for the sites, which they said are no longer slated for city operational use and are being evaluated for lease, sale or donation under state disposal guidelines.
Staff said the effort is designed to generate data and options for council consideration before any formal decisions are made at a future public meeting.
“We’re at the beginning of the process,” staff said, noting that final approval of any lease or sale would require a separate vote by City Council.
The two properties were identified as part of a broader city real estate strategy launched in early 2024 to evaluate underutilized land and align potential uses with long-term planning goals, including climate resilience and economic development.
At 91 Riverside Drive, the city is weighing limited redevelopment potential because of multiple site constraints, including floodplain location, railroad adjacency and environmental restrictions tied to a brownfields agreement. The city purchased the property in 2012, demolished a former ice house on the site and preserved a historic smokestack that remains in place.
Staff said the most viable concept emerging from early analysis is a long-term lease arrangement, likely ranging from 10 to 15 years, rather than a full sale. The goal would be to allow a private or nonprofit partner to activate the site while the city retains ownership.
Officials said the site is further complicated by damage from Tropical Storm Helene and atypical building dimensions that could significantly increase development costs.
Planning documents presented to council referenced prior regional planning efforts, including the Wilma Dykeman Riverway Master Plan and River Arts District recovery initiatives, as guiding frameworks for potential reuse focused on public access, recreation or low-impact activation.
“The goal here would really be to activate this property with a partner,” staff said, emphasizing temporary investment and interim use rather than permanent redevelopment.
At 300 Merrimon Ave., the former fire station property was also identified as surplus and is being evaluated under similar disposition pathways, though specific redevelopment concepts were not detailed during Thursday’s briefing.
City staff outlined four primary legal options for surplus property disposition under North Carolina law: sale to the highest bidder, lease at fair market value, lease or donation to nonprofit entities for public purpose use or outright donation to nonprofit partners. Each option carries trade-offs between financial return and level of city control over future use.
Officials emphasized that both properties remain in early-stage evaluation and that any transaction would return to council for formal approval following additional analysis and public process steps.
The briefing also included updates on broader city planning efforts, including ongoing recovery-related infrastructure work, housing development initiatives and upcoming budget milestones, but officials said the surplus property strategy represents a separate long-term asset management effort.
Council members raised no objections during the presentation, and staff said further analysis and community engagement will occur before any final recommendations are brought forward.