ASHEVILLE - Several public-facing county departments are on the move. Likely by March of next year, residents visiting the tax department, election services or the permitting office will find them co-located at 35 Woodfin St., along with others, a consolidation that staff says will help "centralize" essential Buncombe County services.
Buncombe County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved two construction contracts July 16 for the L-shaped downtown office, home to the Family Justice Center and Special Victims Unit. The center occupies only a fraction of the sprawling county owned 1970s building, which clocks in at 90,000 square feet.
The center and victims unit will remain, with enhanced security added as part of the remodel and an adjoining secure reception area. There will be no disruption of service during construction.
Seven county departments will move into the building:
- Tax Assessment
- Tax Collection
- Board of Elections
- Permits & Inspections
- Planning
- Air Quality
- Environmental Health
It will create a "one-stop shop approach," Assistant County Manager Tim Love told the Citizen Times. The departments are currently scattered around the city, with the Tax Department on Coxe Avenue, Election Services on Woodfin Place and various planning offices on Valley Street.
“In terms of the properties that are being vacated, we don’t have definitive plans at this point for how those will be utilized, but we do plan to study those facilities," Love said.
In the past, the county has considered several of its properties for affordable housing projects, and voted in April to move forward with developing 200 proposed units at 50 and 52 Coxe Avenue.
Scott Metcalf, facilities and project manager, said $3.7 million is allocated for the renovations necessary to move the seven departments into 35 Woodfin St.
The relocations are aimed at "maximizing existing space, co-locating forward-facing departments to improve the resident experience, and reduce the number of unnecessary properties from our portfolio," a county news release said.
Also approved June 16 by commissioners was another construction contract and budget amendments for $3.8 million to relocate the 911 backup center into the same building. Many of the expenditures for the backup center will qualify for reimbursement from the state, Metcalf said.
The backup center is now in the city's downtown municipal building, also home to Asheville fire and police headquarters. A recent city study found both departments have outgrown the building and are facing an immediate space needs deficit, with possible expansion projects being considered.
A county presentation noted that the municipal building "will be undergoing extensive renovations and repairs and a new location is needed." Relocating in the Woodfin Street building will create a needed redundant system, which is on standby in the case of a "catastrophic event" or system failure at the primary location on Erwin Hills Road, Metcalf said.
It is also used periodically for training purposes or when routine maintenance is needed at the main call center. Eighteen consoles will be installed in the backup center as part of the relocation.
Amenities from renovations at 35 Woodfin St. for the public-facing departments:
- Dedicated work space by department.
- Touchdown/flex space for hybrid staff.
- Multiple conference rooms.
- Communal breakrooms and lounge areas.
- New wayfinding signage, both interior and exterior.
- Enhanced security.
Metcalf said the July 16 vote was the first step of the construction phase. The county will execute contracts with Ryse Construction for both renovation projects.
Construction is projected to begin in July and wrap by February, with move-in of the departments anticipated for March 2025.
Sarah Honosky is the city government reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. News Tips? Email shonosky@citizentimes.com or message on Twitter at @slhonosky. Please support local, daily journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.
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