SWANNANOA, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Demolition is underway at the former Ingles Markets site in Swannanoa, where damaged buildings are being torn down months after Tropical Storm Helene flooded the property and forced the grocery store’s permanent closure.
Crews have begun removing the Ingles gas station and other structures on the U.S. Highway 70 property, including the strip building that previously housed a post office and Ace Hardware. Photos and updates shared this week in a Swannanoa community Facebook group showed active demolition at the site.
Ingles Markets has submitted plans to Buncombe County to rebuild at the location, proposing a 95,391-square-foot store at 2317 U.S. 70. The plans, filed Sept. 9, call for demolishing storm-damaged buildings to make way for new construction. The proposed store would be significantly larger than the former 65,542-square-foot location.
The company has said earlier closures in the region following Helene were tied to storm-related facility damage and connectivity issues that affected operations…