ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Asheville City Council is set to vote Tuesday on a plan to relocate the Asheville Police Department’s West Asheville resource center from Haywood Road to the Tanger Outlets on Brevard Road, a move city officials say would improve security, expand space and enhance services.
The proposed lease would move the police resource center from its 1,800-square-foot facility at 970 Haywood Road into a 4,046-square-foot space at Suite 822 of Tanger Outlets, about 5 miles away. The new location would more than double the center’s size and provide what police and city staff describe as a purpose-built, secure environment.
Under the agreement, Asheville would pay $6,000 per month in rent during the first year of the 10-year lease, with annual increases of 3 percent capped at $7,828.64 in the final year. The total cost over the initial term is estimated at about $837,000. Tanger Outlets has renovated the space at its own expense, contributing roughly $1 million in upfit costs, according to a city staff report.
City officials say the Haywood Road facility, built in 1953 as a combined fire station and library and converted into a police resource center in 1999, no longer meets modern public safety standards. The building’s large, single-pane windows and limited parking have raised security concerns, including recent incidents involving vandalism and the arson of two marked patrol vehicles parked off-site.
Police leadership has also cited employee wellness concerns, noting that officers do not feel secure in the aging facility. The new location would offer increased parking, controlled access and space for a consistent staff presence during business hours, allowing residents to file reports and engage with officers in a safer setting.
Police officials emphasized that patrol coverage in West Asheville would not change if the move is approved. Officers are assigned by geographic area rather than substation location, and the two officers currently assigned to the Haywood Road area would continue serving that neighborhood.
The West Asheville resource center is one of several operated by APD, alongside locations in Oakley on Fairview Road, South Asheville on Walden Ridge Drive and North Asheville at Fire Station 13 on Broadway.
The proposal has been discussed multiple times in recent months. It was first presented to Asheville City Council in November before being referred to the Public Safety Committee for additional review and community outreach. The item returned to council agendas in November and December but was withdrawn to allow for further discussion with nearby neighborhoods.
If approved, the resolution would ratify the execution of the lease with Tanger Asheville LLC. While the city would not own the property, officials say the 10-year term, with two optional five-year renewals, provides a cost-effective, short- to mid-term solution to address immediate safety and space needs.
Funding for the first year of the lease is included in the Police Department’s current operating budget, with future costs to be considered during annual budget planning.