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The historic elegance of the Biltmore House has been
a favorite site for film producers through the years


See the 'Paris of the South' on foot

Having been host to nearly 6.5 million visitors in 2000, Asheville ranks near the top of the state when it comes to tourism revenue. Centered around world-class attractions like the Biltmore Estate, the Blue Ridge Mountains and the fabled Grove Park Inn, Asheville boasts a tourism industry that is more sophisticated and well-marketed than most cities its size.

But there’s far more to see in Asheville — the “Paris of the South” — than simply those dependable standbys, much of it focused on the city’s energetic and youthful downtown. In 2000, a new “Urban Trail” was unveiled that takes visitors through a 1.6-mile walk through various periods of Asheville’s colorful history.

“About 10 years ago, several downtown initiatives were coming together,” recalls Leslie Anderson, an Asheville organizational development consultant who chairs the city’s Urban Trail Committee. “We began to ask ourselves, ‘What could we do to create some unifying themes’?”

Designing a downtown loop trail was the solution, and with support of public, private and philanthropic funds, Anderson and others embarked on weaving together 30 interpretive stops along the route. Each station would touch on something uniquely Asheville — its commerce, culture, art, politics or architecture. “We knew there were a lot of nooks and crannies we could tie together,” Anderson says.

Included on the trail is a walk down Wall Street, where visitors can admire Asheville’s Flat Iron Building. The oddly shaped structure was built during the height of the Art Deco era and modeled after its larger Manhattan counterpart. They are then greeted by the hammering and banging going on as part of the renovation of the block-long Grove Arcade, soon to be a mixed-use complex featuring locally-owned shops and “day tables,” restaurants, office space and high-end residential units.

The 269,000-square-foot building was constructed in 1926 by tonic magnate E.W. Grove, founder of the Grove Park Inn. It was among the world’s first indoor shopping malls. Restoration efforts are expected to be complete in early 2002.

The marketplace portion of the project is being funded through the issuance of $2.25 million in bonds by the city of Asheville. Renovation of the mezzanine, second, third, and fourth floors of the Arcade is being financed by Progress Energy (formerly CP&L), which, along with the city and a private foundation, is a partner in the effort. Estimates are that as many as 700 jobs will be created at the arcade.

“The Grove Arcade fits neatly into what has been a ‘new urbanism’ that’s catching on here,” says Mac Williams, an economic developer with the city of Asheville. The style, he explains, involves a higher density, mixed-use approach that has the added benefit of boosting the revenue-generating capacity of land downtown. That, in turn, firms up the city’s tax base. “In an area whose land is constrained by mountains, making the most efficient use of it is paramount,” he says.

Williams and other leaders are also excited about the progress being made in resuscitating Asheville’s riverfront area. “Other U.S. cities have successfully re-developed their waterfronts to form the basis of their identity,” says Williams, ticking off a list that includes Baltimore, San Antonio and Boise, Idaho. Achieving this, he admits, is a far longer-term prospect.

Yet, with the financial support of local, state and federal governments, private foundations and the public contributions, Asheville now has its first greenway. Running along French Broad River Park, the space has a half-mile trail, a pavilion, enhanced wetlands, observation decks, native wildflower beds, picnic facilities and more. Currently under development is another half-mile of greenway along Amboy Road that will contain fishing and boat access, trails and boardwalk over the wetlands.

“In the early days (mid-1980s), it was hard to find funding,” recalls Karen Cragnolin, executive director of Riverlink, a nonprofit group that is leading the redevelopment effort. “It’s different now. There’s a lot of support for this.”

A “Studio Stroll” was begun in 1993 as part of an effort to attract attention to the riverfront and its potential. Though only a handful showed up for the first tour, interest quickly swelled. Now, Riverlink sponsors the event twice yearly. “These days, people just flock here from all over for it,” Cragnolin says.  — Lawrence Bivins

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