Asheville NC | Completed
Developed in consultation with residents, the vision was to replace Asheville’s oldest public housing property with a transformational new mixed-income community, including one-for-one replacement of the 96 existing subsidized units to be distributed through a total of at least 200 mixed-income units.
The new plan includes increased and improved connections, pedestrian and open-space upgrades throughout the property, a considerable increase in housing capacity, and a diversity of home types.
DBA collaborated with local architect McMillan Pazdan Smith, the Housing Authority of the City of Asheville (HACA), and Mountain Housing Opportunities (MHO) to reimagine this 11.5-acre site, which had become increasingly isolated due to topographic and development constraints.
This plan was created in close consultation with current Lee Walker Heights residents through an outreach and engagement process that included multiple community meetings, interactive design workshops, resident surveys, and shared site visits to recently built affordable housing properties.
In response to this process, we developed a master plan with the three primary drivers of Community, Connectivity, and Health.
Building on the strong community of residents and the site’s prominent location along a major transit corridor at the southern gateway to downtown Asheville, this Master Plan offers a complete transformation to a sustainable, walkable neighborhood of mixed-income housing, with mixed-use neighborhood shopping and other amenities. The first phase of 200 affordable units—in a combination of multi-story apartment buildings, walk-ups, and flats organized around courtyards and community green spaces—was completed in 2021. Future development of this neighborhood will include an additional 100 or more homes, plus retail and parking structures.
Project Details
20 Lee Garden Lane
Asheville, NC
United States
Total 400
