35 replies to this topic

[RestedTraveler]

Here are some photos of Asheville taken in December, 2004, while at the Grove Park Inn taking in the 2004 National Ginger Bread House Competition Display:

[orulz]

Thanks for the photos from and of the Grove Park Inn, RestedTraveler!

Check this thread for some photos of downtown (concentrating on recent and future development) taken on the day after Christmas, 2005.

[jr7777]

Here's some photos I got a few days ago, on the top level of the Civic Center garage.

[DigitalSky]

Beautiful!  Is that an urban Staples in the last pic??^

[orulz]

cantnot, on Jan 25 2006, 02:41 AM, said:

Beautiful!  Is that an urban Staples in the last pic??^

Yes. Well, no. Well, sorta. That's the Great Wall of Staples:

It's in an urban location and it abuts the sidewalk, but it's out of scale with everything around it, and it's really just a huge blank wall. Its appearance has really damaged Staples' relationship with the community, and the bad press is hurting their business. Supposedly, the company is going to change it to somehow make this bottom-shelf design more friendly. They're talking about toning down the towering sign, putting in more plantings, and adding ornamentation to the wall, but before any of that I'd rather they put in a second floor at street level.

[archiham04]

Historic aerial drawings, very high resolution, proprietary software... it's a pain to view, but worth it

1912

1891

[lma1973]

Downtown Wilmington seems much bigger. Very nice though..love the mtns in the background.

[orulz]

lma1973, on Sep 14 2006, 12:06 AM, said:

Downtown Wilmington seems much bigger. Very nice though..love the mtns in the background.

Interesting response. What do you mean? I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you're not turning this into a pissing contest. Wilmington is an older town so that could explain it. I'm curious exactly what it is from these photos that makes Wilmington seem much bigger, though.

[lma1973]

Wilmington just looks more dense. Plus with the new PPD building the skyline is also stretching out at the same time.

[orulz]

Hm. I can definitely agree with you about that for parts of Wilmington and parts of Asheville. In Wilmington, N. Water Street was disappointing (Lots of stuff planned, but mostly parking decks and lots right now) but Front Street and Market Street were very impressive. In Asheville, Biltmore Ave, Patton Ave, Haywood Ave, and the Grove Arcade district are all pretty impressive; Woodfin, S. Charlotte, Hilliard, and S. Lexington are all disappointing. I'm not sure if I'd say Wilmington stretches out more than Asheville; the urban valley of Front Street is pretty much the same length as that of Biltmore / Broadway in Asheville. And if you're going to include the PPD building (which is close but kind of disconnected from town right now) you might include the hospital in Asheville as well (which is similarly close but kind of disconnected.)

If you're basing your judgement on just this thread of Asheville (which doesn't have any streetscape photos, really) you might want to check out some of the other photo threads: here, here, here, and here.

I'd welcome any counterpoints, but I really feel like Asheville and Wilmington are pretty comparable.

[jr7777]

Just some random shots I took yesterday:

[Tennesseestorm]

Thanks for posting these grand photos.  I know the intial photos were posted awhile back, but this is my first time on the Asheville forums.  I normally loom about the Tennessee forums.  Sorry.  

I never realized that Asheville had such a neat little skyline.  Despite only being about 2 hours from Asheville, we do not get there often.  Last time we went through was in 1994, when we went to visit my aunt in Anderson, SC and we went down I-26.  I do not remember seeing the skyline, but that was years ago and I have not seen any good photos of this that shows the entire skyline like these, so they are a treat for me to see.

It kinda reminds me of the skyline here in my hometown of Bristol, TN- and and even Johnson City for that matter- which ironically connects to Asheville by I-26.  

What, with the skyline, with the mountains in the backgrounds.  The mountain in the background of Bristol is a bit further away and Bristol is about 1000 ft. lower in elevation than Asheville, but the terrain is about the same.  

Here are a few photos I have taken of Bristol awhile back..... some of them really does not show the mountain that well.  Just over that mountain is the North Carolina-Tennessee state line.  Boone is about 55 miles southeast of here.  




Again, thanks for posting.

[Dylan]

The Great Wall of Staples is the ugliest thing I've ever seen. I cringe every time I drive by it. It just looks so out of place across from Greenlife.

[Tennesseestorm]

I know it!     

Dylan, on Jan 10 2007, 11:10 PM, said:

The Great Wall of Staples is the ugliest thing I've ever seen. I cringe every time I drive by it. It just looks so out of place across from Greenlife.

Edited by Tennesseestorm, 26 January 2007 - 12:07 AM.

[cityboi]

nice pics!

[cowboy_wilhelm]

Does anyone have pictures of the I-240/Merrimon Ave. interchange?  I was wondering how much work is done, haven't been that way in awhile.

[zen]

From Town Mountain Road

Patton Avenue Bridge during 'rush hour'


From downtown, looking south towards the hospital complex at night.


  
I love taking photos of downtown (also art shots, generally, but some 'urban look' ones too...

zen
My Flickr page

[AsheVid]

I just asked Zen if I could share one of his skyline photos w/ Urban Planet - I am glad to see that he took the bait and shared some of his wonderful city shots himself!  Zen takes some great photos of Asheville, and I highly reccomend keeping an eye on his photostream if you are at all interested in what is going on downtown.
Here's a link to the photo that prompted my original inquiry...
On the left hand side of the photo you can see two of the new condo developments that are mentioned frequently around here, and how they fit in with the skyline. I have to say I am very fond of the overall look from this perspective.

Edited by AsheVid, 18 March 2007 - 11:02 AM.

[zen]

Ha!  I don't mind that i've been baited, actually.  I love Asheville and have been looking for sites besides the usual newsfeeds that give insight into what's being built, what being proposed and everything...

Shame on you AND thank you, AsheVid!

[RestedTraveler]

It's a crappy quality photo, but here's one from Smasheville:



We (me, Mrs. RT, vwsam, and Mrs. vwsam) had a great time at the Orange Peel watching the Pumpkins...had to share!