downtown business resilience strategy

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downtown business resilience strategy *

what is the downtown business resilience strategy?

The Downtown Business Reslience Strategy is an effort to understand Downtown challenges and invest in what works to meet those challenges.

The Asheville Downtown Association and the Asheville Downtown Improvement District have partnered with Public Sphere Projects (PSP), a nationally acclaimed consulting group specializing in equitable downtown resilience, placemaking, and community-centered economic development. They will be leading a deep dive into Downtown conditions to shape clear, actionable recommendations for business support, public space improvements, and long-term resilience.

Downtown Asheville is changing quickly, and so are the needs of the people who live, work, and do business here. This effort is grounded in listening to the people who experience downtown every day and turning what we learn into clear, actionable steps for a stronger, more connected, and more resilient Downtown Asheville.

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strategy for the strategy

We are taking a close look at what is happening on the ground for Downtown businesses, workers, residents, property owners, and other stakeholders. Through focused engagement, public space assessment, and economic analysis, PSP will help us understand where downtown is thriving, where it is struggling, and what we need to prioritize going forward.

Unlike a traditional planing process, this will be faster, more flexible, and shaped directly by real lived experience and day-to-day conditions.

We are connecting with a curated group of stakeholders who are closely tied to the daily life of downtown. This includes business owners, property owners, residents, workers, service providers, cultural partners, and community leaders.

Engagement methods include:

  • Neighborhood roundtable conversations

  • One-on-one interviews

  • Walkthroughs and site visits

  • Public realm audit across key blocks

  • A short stakeholder survey

  • A diverse Advisory Committee to help guide the work and help with feedback throughout the project

dontown stakeholder survey

Coming Soon!

deliverables

This project will result in:

  • Summary of stakeholder themes

  • Public realm audit and recommendations

  • Business ecosystem and economic analysis

  • Neighborhood insights and corridor priorities

  • Downtown resiliency framework

  • Draft strategy in Spring 2026

  • Final recommendations and implementation pathway in Summer 2026

This work is focused on producing clear steps and practical outcomes.