Lurphy DePalma Larry Halstead is a tech nerd with an affinity for arts & sports. Reppin' the hard streets of South Asheville for almost 15 years. He's made this city home and has vowed to never stop fighting to keep it as weird & unique as possible.







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The city-owned property across from St. Lawrence Basilica has been the subject of local controversy for years.

Local PAC PARC has led the battle in proposing a green space across from the basilica, saying heavy construction across from the century-old building will damage it, and that the proposed hotel is inappropriate for the site.

Asheville City Council member Marc Hunt (D) has dismissed a park as too expensive, stating that “conversion of this site to an urban park would require millions,” but offering no data.

Now a third alternative arises: A plaza.

From an Asheville Citizen-Times guest editorial today:

Visit www.stlawrenceplaza.com. Sign the petition. Read the write-up about the Kessler Group. It is now partnering with the basilica to design a piazza and is responsible for the “perfect fit” of the Bohemian Hotel in historic Biltmore Village. For everyone who wants a park, the issue is moot. The council has stated unequivocally that it won’t happen. Instead of generating revenue, a park demands costly maintenance. If a landscaped piazza is second-best in your view, wouldn’t it trump a concrete box (see 51 Biltmore Ave.) that would block the basilica, the Vanderbilt Apartments building and the Battery Park Apartments building?

Website supporting St. Lawrence Plaza

Guest editorial by Donna Bollinger: Piazza best for basilica?