Asheville city staff are moving closer to presenting their disaster recovery plan to City Council after wrapping up their third and final listening session this week.
The action plan provides a blueprint for how the city will spend $225 million in Hurricane Helene recovery funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The biggest category in the city鈥檚 proposal is infrastructure, at $130 million. Then there are economic revitalization funds, which total about $50 million followed by housing at $29 million.
One of the potential infrastructure projects discussed at the listening sessions is the construction of a new performing arts center for the city. Groups like ArtsAVL have noted the city鈥檚 main venue, the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, is in a state of disrepair.
鈥淒ue to these severe limitations, it is time to explore the feasibility of building a new multi-use arts facility 鈥� especially if this investment provides the unique opportunity to leverage additional private partnerships,鈥� the group earlier this month.
Michael Lusick, who works in commercial real estate, said at the final listening session this week that such a venue would have far-reaching benefits for the city.
鈥淚t provides opportunity for our artists to have a place to perform, which is about our local community,鈥� Lusick said. 鈥淚t provides the kind of jobs that people in housing assistance can get, that are good jobs, entry-level jobs, and quite a few of them, and support some businesses locally. But in the long term, something like that would provide the economic resiliency that we need so our small businesses next time won鈥檛 have to suffer like they鈥檙e suffering this time.鈥�
Other local residents were more skeptical about investing in a performance space. David Greenson is a grassroots organizer who spoke at a listening session last week.
鈥淚鈥檇 like to hear more about the rationale for that within the context of recovery,鈥� Greenson said. 鈥淚鈥檓 a big fan of the performing arts, but 鈥� I guess compared to all the other needs, I鈥檓 wondering why that would factor in.鈥�
City staff said no final decision has been made and that language allowing investments in arts and cultural facilities was included at the urging of elected officials.
James Shelton leads the community development division within the city鈥檚 Community and Economic Development Department. In response to Greenson鈥檚 question last week, he said the construction of any arts facility would have to meet strict federal guidelines.
鈥淭he way that we would have to make that work is, under an infrastructure program, you have to ask the question of who benefits,鈥� Shelton said. 鈥淎nd within the context of this program, we have to answer that with, 鈥業t has to be low-to-moderate income people, for the most part.鈥� Right? 70% required, so we can鈥檛 fund a performing arts center without it fitting within this program鈥檚 guidelines.鈥�
City staff are expected to present their blueprint for the funds to City Council on April 8. The blueprint contains only general spending categories and will not include any specific projects.
Residents can read the draft action plan and submit their thoughts on it online through April 3. The website is .
