There’s been a lot of buzz about the UNC Asheville development plan. I’ve joined the conversation — not because I oppose housing or retail or soccer fields or concert venues. I support all of those. What I oppose is bad design and our community’s growing habit of accepting it without a fight.
What’s unfolding at UNCA is a textbook example of a broken process. The campus is proposing a half-baked plan that doesn’t respect the site, the community or the people who will use it. It’s uninspired, disconnected and tone-deaf to its surroundings. What’s worse, it’s being pushed forward without real public input or accountability.
Missing the mark
But UNCA isn’t the only offender. The same failures are happening with the Interstate 26 expansion — another project where our local officials are standing quietly by while state agencies push forward with a poorly conceived design that will leave long-term scars on our city.
In both cases, we’re seeing designs led by engineers instead of urban designers. That distinction matters — a lot. Engineering is critical, but it’s not design. We’re getting roads and buildings that meet minimum technical requirements but completely miss the mark on creating place and adding to our community value…