Design Review Committee (In-Person) (Oct 16, 2025)

Design Review Committee Meeting Recap: October 16, 2025

The City of Asheville’s Design Review Committee held an in-person meeting on October 16, 2025, to review proposed development projects and approve administrative records. The session focused on two primary agenda items: a formal design review for a proposed office building at 16 Pearl Street and an informal design review for a proposed multi-family building at 290 Depot Street.

The committee began by voting to approve the minutes from the September 18, 2025, meeting. The motion passed with a 7-0 vote. Following this, the committee voted to recuse Robin Raines from both upcoming project reviews, a motion that also passed with a 7-0 vote.

The first major item on the agenda was the Level I Formal Design Review for the Mountain Housing Opportunity Offices at 16 Pearl Street. The proposal involves a two- and three-story office building totaling 15,256 square feet, which includes retail space and a 37-space surface parking lot. Staff presented the project’s compliance with Unified Development Ordinance regulations and Downtown Design Review Guidelines, noting that a previous informal review had taken place in August 2025. After discussion, the committee voted to approve the project with a 6-0 vote. The approval was subject to several conditions, including the screening of mechanical equipment, addressing the extent of the building’s parapet, considering innovative stormwater solutions such as green roofs, and exploring pedestrian access from Pearl or Ann Street.

The second item was the Level II Informal Design Review for a proposed five-story, 72-unit multi-family building at 290 Depot Street. The project, spanning approximately 1.3 acres, includes mixed-use development with retail space on the ground floor and residential units above. The committee reviewed architectural elevations, floor plans, and site plans detailing grading, drainage, and stormwater management systems. As this was an informal review, no formal vote was recorded for this item during the meeting.

The meeting concluded at 3:00 p.m. with the adjournment of the session. No specific next steps or future meeting dates were announced during the recorded proceedings.