Title: 357 Hilliard Avenue Mixed Use Building
Location of Proejct: Asheville, NC
Project Completion Date: N/A
Firm Name: PFA Architects, PA

Short Description: Situated on the southwestern edge of Asheville’s Central Business District, this mixed used project seeks to create a new paradigm for downtown development.
A first level of retail space and second level of office space are topped by a large south facing elevated plaza that will be used as a shared amenity by tenants and residents. The upper 5 levels will contain 40 units of workforce and affordable housing and another 48 units of market rate condominiums. One, two and three bedroom units are on each floor creating a variety of options for single residents and families alike.

Architect's Statement: Situated on the southwestern edge of Asheville’s Central Business District at the heart of downtown, this mixed used project seeks to create a new paradigm for downtown development along this edge adjacent to one of the city’s oldest residential neighborhoods. In a rapidly growing City facing the challenges of gentrification and reduced open space in the downtown core, the project seeks to resolve the challenge of providing mixed income housing while also cultivating positive outdoor space amenities and impetus for multimodal transportation. Bordered by two key pedestrian streets the building takes advantage of a natural change in grade to provide separate entrances for commercial and residential functions with one level of covered parking dedicated to each. These separate faces at once mitigate topography and provide distinct programmatic entrances. A lower level of retail space thoughtfully engages the street and sets the stage for an urban design that resembles a collection of building forms rather than a monolithic façade to respond to the pedestrian street. A second level will house office space and is topped by a large south facing elevated plaza that will be used as a shared amenity by tenants and residents of the 5 levels of housing above. Investing in this context played a critical role in informing the massing strategy to provide a south facing exposure ideal for positive green spaces with views to downtown, the blue ridge mountains and a public park across the street.

Above the 11,000 sf of retail and office spaces, the upper 5 levels will contain 40 units of workforce and affordable housing and another 48 units of market rate condominiums. Local stakeholders and community non-profits were engaged in the conceptual design phase and provided an opportunity to address real world concerns of residents to ensure the density, amenities, price points and design aesthetics were in alignment with real needs. City Council members and community advocates noted the building addresses multiple areas of the City’s strategic development and shared values synthesized into a single project. Throughout the design process stakeholders were engaged by the team to proactively inform the design direction and ensure a meaningful impact to the development. This involved discussion with community activists, political leadership, local real estate professionals, potential occupants from the local workforce and affordable housing advocates. These initial conversations yielded many meaningful connections and in themselves incubated larger discourse among stakeholders regarding zoning regulations, identifying real hurdles to affordable housing, 21st century downtown living paradigms, open source community planning and other highly relevant topics in the City. Though the initial joint venture of private development and a local non-profit affordable housing provider has been put on hold, the later partner still retains an option on the project site and is currently evaluating financing pathways to bring this exciting development to fruition.