The boarded-up houses of West Asheville; Butterpunk biscuits planned for River Arts District; AVLFest is coming; more

Also, an obituary of note: Dr. Olson Huff, a champion of children's health, has died

A boarded-up house on Fairfax Avenue in West Asheville awaits demolition. The North Carolina Department of Transportation acquired the property as part of its massive highway expansion project in Asheville known as the Interstate 26 Connector project./ photo by Jason Sandford

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This latest Hot Sheet includes tidbits about Butterpunk biscuits, a new West Asheville glass blowing studio, a new hotel coming to Sweeten Creek Road; the emerging public transportation trend known as microtransit; and much more.

Go to the Ashevegas Hot Sheet website to sign up and see all newsletters. Recent missives include details about a new boutique bodega called Forager of Asheville; plans for another new climbing gym by Cultivate Climbing; a quick hit on Scratch Ankle Pub; and much more.

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A house on Hanover Street awaits demolition. The N.C. DOT acquired this property as part of its highway expansion project known as the Interstate 26 Connector./ photo by Jason Sandford

Sections of three West Asheville streets are looking grim as the North Carolina Department of Transportation takes possession of property it requires to build the long-talked-about highway expansion known as the Interstate 26 Connector. Walk down parts of State Street, Hanover Street and Fairfax Avenue and you’ll see several boarded-up houses with a big sign stuck to the front: “State Owned Property No Tresspassing N.C.D.O.T.”

As of early July, the state had acquired 27 properties that would be inspected for asbestos and have it removed before demolition, which will likely start in earnest this fall, according to a story by John Boyle for Asheville Watchdog. That story focused on neighborhood residents reporting that the empty houses were becoming havens for drug users. Construction could start later this year on the $1 billion highway project. State highway officials are still negotiating the details of a major part of the project with the construction company that was awarded the construction contract in May.

Last week, I posted a series of photos of some of these houses to Instagram, and it seemed to hit a nerve with followers. We’ve talked for years about this impending road project, almost to the point that we may have gotten a little numb to what it will really mean to our city. The desolate houses are a stark reminder of the toll a major highway construction project can take on a community.