From Staff Reports 

ASHEVILLE, N.C. —  Asheville’s Design Review Committee recently asked developers of a proposed 524-unit apartment project at 120 Swannanoa River Road to redesign the buildings so they look less generic and more local, with one member urging them to build “less ‘Charlanta’ and more Asheville.”

The ADRC made the comments during an informal review meeting on Oct. 15.

Key details of the project and feedback are as follows:

• The project: Known as the Britt Drive Multi-Family Development, the $75 million proposal from an Atlanta-based developer calls for 524 apartments across four multi-story buildings (four to five stories) split into three phases.

• Location: A 7-parcel site along Swannanoa River Road (near Kenilworth) that was heavily flooded and damaged by Tropical Storm Helene in September 2024.

• Design criticisms: Committee members noted that the early architectural renderings looked like uniform, mass-produced apartment complexes typical of rapidly growing Southern metros. They recommended that the developers:

• Break up long, flat rooflines

• Vary building materials

• Create better architectural connection and character tailored to Asheville

• Improve pedestrian paths, greenway access to the Swannanoa River, and community spaces instead of empty grass strips or storm-management-only zones.

• Other major concerns: Beyond aesthetics, city officials and committee members raised red flags regarding flood safety, evacuation routes if Swannanoa River Road floods again, and traffic.

The project requires a floodplain development permit and a zoning change that must eventually go before Asheville City Council for a final decision