North Carolina Construction News staff writer
The City of Asheville will receive $3 million to redevelop Pack Square Plaza and the gateway to The Block planned in 2022 and 2023. The funding comes from the Mellon Foundation’s monuments project.
The draft plan will be released for public comment July 21 and in-person public engagements will be planned for July 28 and July 29, 2023. For more information visit the project website. The Pack Square vision plan will be presented to Asheville City council Sept. 12.
“We heard from our community that Pack Square Plaza was not everything it could be- and that sharing our stories – especially stories unsung, misunderstood, or not fully told, are at the heart of reshaping Pack Square into a more inclusive place. This partnership will allow us to take what we heard and repurpose this space in a way that reflects the needs and values of our community” said Debra Campbell, Asheville’s City Manager.
Funding will support:
- Construction-ready plans for phased improvements to Pack Square Plaza that will better represent and include multicultural expressions, and make it a more welcoming, accessible.
- Design and construction of stronger cultural and physical connections between Pack Square Plaza and The Block, the historic Black business district of East End Valley Street that sits adjacent to Pack Square Plaza.