Some residents and planners involved with the development of City-County Plaza in downtown Asheville have raised concerns recently about the sale of a piece of park land to a developer who plans to build a 10-story condominum building where a large magnolia tree now stands.

The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners approved the sale of the property in front of the City Hall building after a two-minute discussion during its Nov. 24, 2006 meeting.

The property was sold to developer Stewart Coleman for $333,000 ó just over half the $600,000 that the county tax office has assessed it to be worth.

The property includes 3,153 square feet of park, an alley, an old building and a small embankment for a total of 7,740 square feet.

However, members of the Pack Square Conservancy, the nonprofit organization responsible for planning the renovation of downtown park space that includes the property, just learned of the sale in May.

A spokesperson for the PSC expressed the groupís disappointment at the sale, noting that Asheville has very little public green space and that the transaction has led to greater privitatization.

Commissioners, however, have defended the sale.

Chairman Nathan Ramsey said the condomuniums would be a benefit to the city, though reportedly, he acknowledged that he was uncertain of the exact boundaries of the preoperty.

Furthermore, he noted, the county has been a major supporter of teh park, having approved $2 million in county money for the project already, with a possible $2 million more to come.

Colemanís plans for the property include 45 residential condominiums, a ground floor of mostly retail space and three floors of parking below.

If the plan is approved by the city, construction could begin as early as January.

Critics of the plan have particularly objected to the destruction of the magnolia tree. The PSC plan for the park shows the tree where it is currently located and members of the group cited feedback from residents saying they wanted it to stay.

However, Colmean has reportedly offered to transplant the tree or else donate an equal amount of money to Quality Forward, a local nonprofit promoting beautificaiton of the county, to plant trees elsewhere.†