From Staff Reports 

The city of Asheville in early April began acquiring an estimated $6 million worth of land rights in the River Arts District as part of a $50 million transportation infrastructure project.

Funded by a combination of local, state and federal money, the improvements will include road realignment, sidewalks, bike lanes, greenways and public art.

As major construction gets underway next year, dramatic visual changes will take place. Plans call for partial demolition of 12 Bones Smokehouse and three buildings at the intersection of Riverside, Craven and Haywood streets.

Plats finalized April 5 show the city’s plans for right-of-way and easement access to private property. About 48 parcels and 35 property-owners will be compensated for easements and right-of-way changes, according to Stephanie Monson Dahl, riverfront office director.

The city plans to complete the acquisition process by June 30, assuming property owners accept offers based on appraisals by an independent, state-approved contractor. Acquisitions that require adjudication — if property owners cannot negotiate a desirable deal — could extend that timeline.

“The pieces of property that are being acquired are being acquired for all of the transportation needs associated with the roadway, whether that’s the stormwater or the required street tree plantings or the bicycle lanes,” Dahl said. “The vast majority of this is the city buying small strips of land from property owners for the roadway facilities.”

Each property owner will have a specific agreement with the city that includes compensation for right-of-way and easements for drainage, utilities, greenways and temporary construction staging areas.

The majority of the affected properties adjoin a 2.2-mile stretch of Riverside Drive from Southern States farm equipment supplier on the north end to Amboy Road on the southern end.

The city is also seeking new right-of-way agreements at properties adjacent to the five-point intersection at the center of the River Arts District where Lyman, Depot and Roberts streets meet Clingman Avenue.