We won. The developers withdrew their petition and the Flatiron is safe.
June 4, 2019
Final supporters
UPDATE: Around 9pm on May 14th, before an official vote could be recorded, five Asheville City Council members addressed the hotel applicants and the audience. FOUR OF THE FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS EXPRESSED THAT THEY WOULD BE VOTING AGAINST THE HOTEL. At this point, the hotel's attorney withdrew his petition in defeat.
Here's how the voting broke down:
Mayor Esther Manheimer: Did not vote, but her closing remarks seemed to hint that she would have voted for
Vice Mayor Gwen Wisler: Did not vote
Councilman Brian Haynes: Voted against
Councilman Vijay Kapoor: Voted for
Councilwoman Julie Mayfield: Voted against
Councilwoman Sheneika Smith: Voted against
Councilman Keith Young: Voted against
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO SIGNED THIS PETITION!
WE DID IT!!!
The 93-year-old Flatiron Building currently houses more than 70 small businesses and organizations. On May 14th, Asheville City Council will meet and vote on whether or not to convert the Flatiron into a hotel and displace all the businesses there.
On April 8th, Asheville's Planning and Zoning Commission voted 4-2 to move the luxury hotel project forward. The City Council is the final body that will vote on this project.
Asheville does not need another hotel
There are already ten hotels within a half of a mile, two of which are across the street from the Flatiron Building. The new luxury hotel would also fail to provide parking. More importantly, it would eliminate more than 40 parking spaces from Battery Park Ave, Wall St, and a parking structure, which the hotel plans to use for valet parking, on Coxe Avenue and Sears Alley.
The massive Arras Hotel is currently being built on Patten Avenue. Besides the Arras hotel, there are 3 more hotels approved by City Council. One is on the corner of Merrimon Ave and the I-240 exit, another is on Biltmore Ave near Hilliard Ave, and the last is just west of Beaucatcher Tunnel. How many more hotels can Asheville possibly sustain?
Even before the Arras Hotel and other hotels are complete and fighting for guests, the current hotels in Downtown Asheville are often unable to book their rooms from Sunday night to Wednesday night, with tourists mainly interested in Downtown Asheville from Thursday night until Sunday morning. Another hotel would undoubtedly face the same problem.
Who benefits? Not the people of Asheville
Because of all the recent hotels, Asheville has a shortage of places for residents to live and a shortage of office space for small businesses.
While many in Asheville will be harmed by a new hotel in the Flatiron Building, the landlord and hotelier stand to make millions from the deal, with the landlord seeking at least $16 million. In return, the hotel would offer jobs that pay locals badly, and would do nothing to offer affordable housing to Ashevillians.
The landlord and his company claim that converting the historic Flatiron Building into a hotel is the only way to save it. There is no reason that it could be converted into a hotel, but not into condos or apartments. Asheville needs more places for people to live and more small office spaces.
Take Action!
It is not to late to protect Downtown Asheville and the Flatiron Building.
Let Asheville City Council know how you feel. Some City Council members are up for re-election in the next election (which should be in 2020), while other members are not up for re-election until 2022. Both elections are critical. Vote against any council member who voted in favor of changing the Flatiron into a hotel.
Mayor Esther Manheimer: [email protected]
Vice Mayor Gwen Wisler: [email protected]
Councilman Brian Haynes: [email protected]
Councilman Vijay Kapoor: [email protected]
Councilwoman Julie Mayfield: [email protected]
Councilwoman Sheneika Smith: [email protected]
Councilman Keith Young: [email protected]
Attend City Council's meeting on Tuesday, May 14th when they will make the final decision on whether or not to convert the Flatiron Building into another hotel. The meeting takes place at 5pm on the second floor of City Hall. Voice your opposition to City Council approving another hotel at the expense of the citizens of Asheville.
Updates
Reached 1,000 supporters
May 13, 2019
May 6, 2019
The stories shared in the comments prove just how much this building means to our city. We are digging into the zoning details now to prepare for the upcoming vote.
Reached 100 supporters
May 6, 2019
461 Comments
As an Asheville resident, I hate to see our iconic structures being turned into hotels instead of buildings that diversify the local economy. The building is old and needs work, but is a hotel the only way to raise enough money to restore its glory?
The Flat Iron Building is not only iconic and historic, but it's current life symbolizes the very essence of Asheville's Spirit. Please do not evict the current small businesses and other dwellers in the name of progress. Keep the integrity of its Ashevillian life.
I am against this project because there are not enough parking spaces now downtown, and this project will remove on-street spaces as well as county garage spots, and still not have adequate spaces for its many proposed employees.
We have over 10,000 hotel rooms in our area but are at crisis levels for lack of affordable housing. The economic disparities are growing deeper each time another hotel is approved. Please stop ruining what made this city so unique!
As an Asheville native I am heartbroken at the direction city council has taken our beautiful town. Please say no to yet another hotel and preserve our beautiful, historic downtown architecture for small business and keeping our money in OUR community.
Don't ruin this historic land mark for another @#&+*#hotel. Do you think that people will come here to see new hotels? No they have made enough impact on the city's skyline. Support local bed and breakfast and air B&Bs.
Stop destroying our heritage, PLEASE!
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Share this petition to help it reach more people.
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We won. The developers withdrew their petition and the Flatiron is safe.
June 4, 2019
Final supporters
UPDATE: Around 9pm on May 14th, before an official vote could be recorded, five Asheville City Council members addressed the hotel applicants and the audience. FOUR OF THE FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS EXPRESSED THAT THEY WOULD BE VOTING AGAINST THE HOTEL. At this point, the hotel's attorney withdrew his petition in defeat.
Here's how the voting broke down:
Mayor Esther Manheimer: Did not vote, but her closing remarks seemed to hint that she would have voted for
Vice Mayor Gwen Wisler: Did not vote
Councilman Brian Haynes: Voted against
Councilman Vijay Kapoor: Voted for
Councilwoman Julie Mayfield: Voted against
Councilwoman Sheneika Smith: Voted against
Councilman Keith Young: Voted against
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO SIGNED THIS PETITION!
WE DID IT!!!
The 93-year-old Flatiron Building currently houses more than 70 small businesses and organizations. On May 14th, Asheville City Council will meet and vote on whether or not to convert the Flatiron into a hotel and displace all the businesses there.
On April 8th, Asheville's Planning and Zoning Commission voted 4-2 to move the luxury hotel project forward. The City Council is the final body that will vote on this project.
Asheville does not need another hotel
There are already ten hotels within a half of a mile, two of which are across the street from the Flatiron Building. The new luxury hotel would also fail to provide parking. More importantly, it would eliminate more than 40 parking spaces from Battery Park Ave, Wall St, and a parking structure, which the hotel plans to use for valet parking, on Coxe Avenue and Sears Alley.
The massive Arras Hotel is currently being built on Patten Avenue. Besides the Arras hotel, there are 3 more hotels approved by City Council. One is on the corner of Merrimon Ave and the I-240 exit, another is on Biltmore Ave near Hilliard Ave, and the last is just west of Beaucatcher Tunnel. How many more hotels can Asheville possibly sustain?
Even before the Arras Hotel and other hotels are complete and fighting for guests, the current hotels in Downtown Asheville are often unable to book their rooms from Sunday night to Wednesday night, with tourists mainly interested in Downtown Asheville from Thursday night until Sunday morning. Another hotel would undoubtedly face the same problem.
Who benefits? Not the people of Asheville
Because of all the recent hotels, Asheville has a shortage of places for residents to live and a shortage of office space for small businesses.
While many in Asheville will be harmed by a new hotel in the Flatiron Building, the landlord and hotelier stand to make millions from the deal, with the landlord seeking at least $16 million. In return, the hotel would offer jobs that pay locals badly, and would do nothing to offer affordable housing to Ashevillians.
The landlord and his company claim that converting the historic Flatiron Building into a hotel is the only way to save it. There is no reason that it could be converted into a hotel, but not into condos or apartments. Asheville needs more places for people to live and more small office spaces.
Take Action!
It is not to late to protect Downtown Asheville and the Flatiron Building.
Let Asheville City Council know how you feel. Some City Council members are up for re-election in the next election (which should be in 2020), while other members are not up for re-election until 2022. Both elections are critical. Vote against any council member who voted in favor of changing the Flatiron into a hotel.
Mayor Esther Manheimer: [email protected]
Vice Mayor Gwen Wisler: [email protected]
Councilman Brian Haynes: [email protected]
Councilman Vijay Kapoor: [email protected]
Councilwoman Julie Mayfield: [email protected]
Councilwoman Sheneika Smith: [email protected]
Councilman Keith Young: [email protected]
Attend City Council's meeting on Tuesday, May 14th when they will make the final decision on whether or not to convert the Flatiron Building into another hotel. The meeting takes place at 5pm on the second floor of City Hall. Voice your opposition to City Council approving another hotel at the expense of the citizens of Asheville.
Updates
Reached 1,000 supporters
May 13, 2019
May 6, 2019
The stories shared in the comments prove just how much this building means to our city. We are digging into the zoning details now to prepare for the upcoming vote.
Reached 100 supporters
May 6, 2019
461 Comments
The local shops in this historic building are the EXACT reasons why tourists flock to have an ASHEVILLE experience. They have plenty of places to stay. Don't take this away from their experiences, and don't boot out your local small businesses to do so.
As an Asheville resident, I hate to see our iconic structures being turned into hotels instead of buildings that diversify the local economy. The building is old and needs work, but is a hotel the only way to raise enough money to restore its glory?
The Flat Iron Building is not only iconic and historic, but it's current life symbolizes the very essence of Asheville's Spirit. Please do not evict the current small businesses and other dwellers in the name of progress. Keep the integrity of its Ashevillian life.
I am against this project because there are not enough parking spaces now downtown, and this project will remove on-street spaces as well as county garage spots, and still not have adequate spaces for its many proposed employees.
We have over 10,000 hotel rooms in our area but are at crisis levels for lack of affordable housing. The economic disparities are growing deeper each time another hotel is approved. Please stop ruining what made this city so unique!
As an Asheville native I am heartbroken at the direction city council has taken our beautiful town. Please say no to yet another hotel and preserve our beautiful, historic downtown architecture for small business and keeping our money in OUR community.
Don't ruin this historic land mark for another @#&+*#hotel. Do you think that people will come here to see new hotels? No they have made enough impact on the city's skyline. Support local bed and breakfast and air B&Bs.
Stop destroying our heritage, PLEASE!
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The local shops in this historic building are the EXACT reasons why tourists flock to have an ASHEVILLE experience. They have plenty of places to stay. Don't take this away from their experiences, and don't boot out your local small businesses to do so.