New 114-unit apartment proposed for Arden; 35% of units for 'workforce housing'

A new housing complex has been proposed for Arden, with over a third of the units to be designated for "workforce housing," the developer has said. The development would be made up entirely of studios and one-bedroom apartments.

The new development, called "Altitude," will be located off of Clayton Road in Arden, near the Biltmore Church Arden Campus.

Cox Universal Group, a Tennessee-based real estate development corporation, has proposed a 114-unit apartment building with a pool, dog park and community building, development documents show. Photos of another Cox Universal Group apartment complex in Knoxville, Tennessee—named Altitude at 6313—are included to give a sense for what the Arden complex will look like.

The company plans to build only studios and one-bedroom apartments with 35% of the units designated as "workforce housing," which the developer says is intended for those earning 80%-120% of the area median income. The floor plans range from 440-570 square-feet, with all units located in a central four-story building.

At 80% AMI, a one-person household earns $52,350 in the Asheville metropolitan statistical area, according to 2024 estimates from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The Johnson City-based company has built a variety of mixed-use residential, commercial and industrial facilities across the south, including The Villas at Avery Creek, another Arden apartment complex. A one-bedroom at that property starts at $1,069 per month, according to the companies website.

The 7.5-acre property for the new apartment is owned by Biltmore Baptist Church. Including the Arden location, the church has seven locations across Western North Carolina and owns nearly 120 acres of land in Buncombe County.

If approved, the company plans to start construction in late 2024 or early 2025, with development taking 12-18 months, according to a letter included with site plans. The plans also indicate that Cox Universal Group would maintain over 3 acres of open space on the property.

The project is set to go before the Buncombe County Board of Adjustment on July 10.

During Board of Adjustment hearings on development applications, attendees can provide witness testimony for or against development at the end of the meeting. The board reviews applications in a quasi-judicial process in which board members decide how current laws apply to an application, obtain evidence and review ordinance standards.

Will Hofmann is the Growth and Development Reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Got a tip? Email him at WHofmann@citizentimes.com.Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.