City of Asheville Begins Process to Rebuild Storm-Damaged French Broad Riverfront Parks System

Asheville --  In order to reconstruct the parks system on the French Broad River, the City of Asheville has issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for design services, marking a major advancement in its infrastructure recovery efforts.  

This milestone establishes a new vision for a more resilient and accessible riverfront and initiates a design plan to repair damaged City assets along the French Broad Riverfront parks system. 

Input from the Helene Recovery Priorities Survey and public participation in the City's Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Action Plan influenced the RFQ's general scope. 

Helene destroyed more than 200 acres of public parks, greenways, and recreational facilities along the French Broad River, causing at least $25 million in damage out of the estimated $1 billion in overall damages to City-owned property.  From the western edge of the city boundaries downstream from Hominy Creek to just before the Jeff Bowen Bridge (I-240), the project area spans five linear miles of frontage on both banks of the river.  Among the city-owned resources in the project area include, but are not restricted to:

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

Below is information from the City of Asheville website: 

Through the RFQ process, the City of Asheville seeks to engage an experienced design team to develop a thorough design plan, including cost estimates for projects identified through engagement with residents, stakeholder groups, and partner agencies. As the project progresses, more information about community input opportunities will be made available.

Funding and Timeline

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 City anticipates bringing a design team on board in fall of this year. The design and public engagement process for the overall project is then expected to take two years, followed by another estimated two to three years of construction. 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.  

Infrastructure Recovery: Overall Strategy

The City of Asheville is sequencing recovery projects strategically to ensure an efficient and effective rebuilding process. 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.

Stay Informed:

Follow French Broad Riverfront Parks Recovery project updates by subscribing on the project page. Input from the community through the Recovery Priority Survey and CDBG-DR Action Plan engagement process have helped shape the City’s recovery strategy, and input opportunities will continue throughout the recovery process.

For more information on Asheville’s storm recovery, visit ashevillerecovers.org/

WNCTimes

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