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Bledsoe Building
West Asheville, NC

Haywood Road, the 1920s' era commercial corridor in west Asheville, is undergoing an exciting rebirth and the Bledsoe Building is at the center. The Bledsoe Building, a 26,000 square foot historic mixed-use project, functions as the primary community anchor for the West Asheville neighborhood and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

The largest of the remaining original brick structures on Haywood Road, the Bledsoe Building recently housed Go Grocery Outlet and several locally-owned retail businesses. The historic structure, built in 1927, was renovated in three separate phases, and utilized historic tax credits in its reconstruction. Original interior doors, transoms, and stair detailing was retained, and all existing windows were refurbished where applicable. Existing tin ceilings were salvaged and repaired in many units to enhance the historic integrity of the project.

Mathews Architecture worked closely with the owner/developer from the beginning - to create a masterplan for the building and the site, design an effective re-use plan for the renovation of the structure, and assist in surmounting the building code challenges and the requirements for successful qualification for the historic rehabilitation tax credit.

Offices, diverse retail, apartments, and a restaurant combine to offer a wide range of amenity. The second floor plan is divided into three parts: the north and south bays provide a variety of apartment sizes and plans, and the central bay is composed of offices. On the first floor, a cooperatively owned food market, a restaurant, and a handful of other businesses which range from DVD rental, to a beauty salon, provide essential services to the community.The Westville Pub recently opened, to great neighborhood acclaim. It was joined by the Haywood Road Market, a community-owned grocery.