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New
building to preserve historic school front
By Tim Reid
Feb. 28, 2003 10:17 p.m.
ASHEVILLE
- The front of Biltmore School, a familiar sight along Hendersonville
Road since 1927, will be preserved as Biltmore Farms incorporates it in
a new three-story medical/office building.
"It
will be a functioning side of the new building," said Yates Pharr,
Biltmore Farms' vice president for office and institutional development.
Biltmore
Farms has finalized its plans for the 5-acre tract it acquired after the
Western North Carolina Historical Association was unable to raise the
money to develop a regional history museum there.
The property will become a part of Vanderbilt Park, the medical/office complex that Biltmore Farms developed on a 20-acre site next door.
Biltmore
Farms will remove all of the 45,000-square-foot Biltmore School structure,
except for the wall facing Hendersonville Road, and attach to it a 54,600-square-foot
modern medical office building to be called Biltmore School.
"The
existing building has a lot of maintenance and structural issues which
make it difficult to renovate versus starting new," Pharr said. "But
both of the Cecils (John and Jack Cecil, owners of Biltmore Farms) have
strong feelings about preserving the look of the old school."
Both the
facade and the trees in front of it will be kept as they are today, Pharr
added. The original copper cupola on top of the building will be removed
and placed on the new building.
"Looking
up from Hendersonville Road, it will look just like it does now,"
said Eddie Dewey, who is handling sales and leasing for the property.
One outparcel
at the front of the property will be available for a one-story building
so as not to obstruct the view of the other building, Pharr said.
The main
building will be developed similarly to nearby 1 Vanderbilt Park, including
everything from individual doctor offices to larger tenants. Spaces available
run the gamut from 1,100 square feet to an entire floor of 18,200 square
feet.
"It
doesn't have to be all medical," Pharr said. "We have already
seen interest from a nonmedical user."
LS3P Associates
of Charlotte will design the building. Construction will begin as soon
as at least 50 percent of the space is sold or pre-leased, Pharr said.
Former historical
association member Ed Metz said he regrets the museum drive was unsuccessful
but appreciates the efforts of Jack Cecil, who obtained the financing
and made loan payments that gave the group an extra year to seek funds.
"(Cecil)
was very helpful at the 11th hour," Metz said. "We fought the
good fight, and we didn't make it."
Charles
Wykle, a 1955 graduate of Biltmore High School, said he hates to see the
building torn down.
"The
community did not get behind the project sufficiently. I think we missed
a terrific opportunity," he said. "It's a shame, but you've
got to raise the money or you can't achieve the dream."
Contact
Reid at 232-5856 or TReid@CITIZEN-TIMES.com.