Asheville Reporter

On May 28, Asheville City Council authorized $180,000 to fund a contract for community facilitation, engagement, and project support services for the "Boosting the Block" Project. This initiative is one of three projects funded by the Mellon Foundation to implement components of the Pack Square Plaza Vision Plan. The Block is Asheville’s historic Black business district and multicultural hub that serves as a geographic and cultural connection between downtown and the East End Valley Street Neighborhood.

The Boosting the Block project will include:

- Construction of a physical gateway and cultural corridor between Pack Square and The Block

- Increased capacity of neighborhood anchors to shape and influence the future of The Block

- Enhanced public spaces and programming that authentically narrate the past, present, and future of The Block

- Consensus and implementation of neighborhood identity and marketing for The Block

The Community Facilitator will lead engagement and support all aspects of project management including schedule, planning, design, and implementation throughout the project. The selected team is a collaborative partnership between Illumined Leadership Solutions and BennettWeston Consulting, both Black-owned firms based in Durham. They were chosen based on qualifications and their approach to the project through a competitive RFP process overseen by a selection committee composed of City staff, County staff, and community representatives.

Additional contracting opportunities supported through this project include roles such as a local community coordinator, creative strategist/consulting artist, marketing/promotion/advertising specialist, and production team for a community celebration. These are in addition to anticipated design/engineering contracts and construction contracts.

Boosting the Block is part of the Mellon Foundation’s Monuments Project Initiative aimed at advancing elements of the Pack Square Plaza Vision Plan. This Vision Plan was adopted by City Council on September 26, 2023, following a planning and community engagement process led by McAdams Company along with City and County staff.

In addition to Boosting the Block, grant funding will be used for:

- Design and engineering for reshaping Pack Square

- Supporting a partnership with Buncombe County Library to expand programming around inclusive storytelling efforts

Further details about the project can be found on the City's website.