From Staff Reports

ENKA — The iconic 149-foot clock tower in Enka will be spared from demolition, the Greensboro-based developer Samet Corp. promised in a Nov. 25 press release.

The release stated that “plans are in the works” to preserve the 92-year-old tower on Samet’s 32-acre building site. Samet, which built Amazon’s distribution center in Mills River, is planning to build a 130,000-square-foot facility in Enka for an unnamed company. Originally, it had planned to demolish the clock tower, but protests erupted at once from prople citing the clock tower’s historic and cultural significance.

“All parties involved in the development of this area recognize the historic role the monument plays in Asheville’s history, and we would like the tower to stand for generations to come,” Brian Hall, Samet’s director of development, said in the release. 

“We are working with the owner’s representatives on an initiative to protect Enka Tower.

The release concluded, “Samet Corporation is collaborating with the owner, designer, and subcontractors to manage the tower’s incorporation into the site design. The project will be subject to the approval of the City of Asheville, and Samet officials are working closely with the city to secure that approval.”

Regarding Samet Corporation, it described itself in the release as “a full-service general contractor and real estate development firm exceeding clients’ expectations across a broad range of industries since 1961. 

“The company’s project portfolio includes educational, industrial, office, healthcare, retail, multi-unit residential, and civic facilities. Samet Corporation is headquartered in Greensboro, with offices in Charlotte, Raleigh, Wilmington, Charleston and Savannah.”