Asheville's Architecture: From Vanderbilt Excess to That Pink Dome Thing
Three days of geeking out over buildings that survived because we were too broke to tear them down
Dylan's Real Voice
The Hook:
"Asheville is a small mountain town with architecture that rivals much larger cities — Spanish Renaissance Revival, Art Deco, Tudor and Gothic Revival, all within walking distance of each other downtown."
Personal Story:
Most of the city's architectural stock survived because after the Great Depression hit Asheville especially hard, there wasn't money to tear buildings down and replace them. The city spent decades paying off Depression-era debt, and in the meantime its downtown simply didn't get modernized the way many peer cities did — which is why so much of it is still standing.
Why This Matters:
The result is a downtown with a genuinely unusual concentration of intact early-20th-century architecture for a city this size: the Basilica of St. Lawrence's unreinforced Guastavino dome, Douglas Ellington's Art Deco City Hall, the Beaux-Arts Grove Arcade, and the S&W Building's restored Art Deco cafeteria interior, all within a few blocks.
Your Weekend Schedule
Downtown Icons & Art Deco Dreams
Rowan Coffee
Coffee and roastery in West Asheville with an on-site roasting operation and all-day hours.
Grove Arcade
Beaux-Arts marketplace building from 1929, used by the federal government during WWII before reopening as retail space.
Insider Tip: Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar occupies part of the building — a two-story used bookstore with a wine bar built into the shelves.
S&W Market
Restored 1929 Art Deco cafeteria building, now a food hall with a Highland Brewing taproom and six independent food stalls.
Insider Tip: The main hall keeps most of the original restored ceiling and detailing — worth sitting in rather than taking food to go.
Basilica of St. Lawrence
Spanish Renaissance Revival church completed in 1909, with a Rafael Guastavino-designed elliptical dome built from interlocking tile with no steel reinforcement — one of the largest such domes in North America.
Insider Tip: Open to visitors outside of active services.
City Building (City Hall)
Douglas Ellington's 1928 Art Deco city hall — an octagonal building with a pink and green tiled, stepped roof.
Insider Tip: The lobby interior is open to the public during business hours.
All Day Darling
Dinner service in a mid-century-modern-styled space; a second location is under construction in the Oakley neighborhood of East Asheville, targeted for 2027.
Insider Tip: Bar seating faces the open kitchen.
Jackson Building & Flatiron Building
Two more of downtown's landmark buildings, best seen after dark when they're lit — the Jackson Building's Gothic Revival terra cotta detailing and the wedge-shaped 1926 Flatiron Building.
Insider Tip: Both are a short walk from City Hall.
Gilded Age Excess & Industrial Revival
Biltmore Estate
America's largest private home — a 250-room chateau built for George Vanderbilt, completed in 1895, with grounds designed by Frederick Law Olmsted (also known for Central Park).
Insider Tip: Book the earliest available entry time; pricing is seasonal and runs roughly $80-130 depending on date, cheaper when booked online in advance.
Village Social
Restaurant on the Biltmore Estate grounds, near the winery in Antler Hill Village.
Insider Tip: Requires valid Estate admission or an on-property hotel stay to access.
River Arts District
Post-Helene: modifiedFormer industrial warehouses along the French Broad River converted into artist studios and galleries. Hurricane Helene caused significant flooding here in September 2024; the district is rebuilding, with some studios and businesses reopened and others still in progress.
Insider Tip: Second Saturdays are a regular open-studio event across the district — check current participating studios before visiting, since this changes as spaces reopen.
Highland Brewing
Brewery with a rooftop taproom overlooking the city and mountains. Also runs organized sand volleyball leagues on its outdoor courts, with Asheville Sport & Social Club running additional leagues there.
Insider Tip: Tuesday nights typically have men's and women's league play — email sports@highlandbrewing.com for current league info.
Sacred Spaces & Neighborhood Character
Montford Historic District
Self-guided walking tour through 600+ historic homes spanning architectural styles from roughly 1890 to 1930.
Insider Tip: Riverside Cemetery, adjacent to Montford, is the burial site of both Thomas Wolfe and O. Henry, with river and mountain views.
Thomas Wolfe Memorial
State historic site preserving author Thomas Wolfe's childhood home, a Queen Anne-style boarding house that appears (as "Dixieland") in his novel Look Homeward, Angel.
Insider Tip: The visitor center provides context on 1920s Asheville.
Cathedral of All Souls
Pink sandstone Gothic Revival church built by George Vanderbilt for the Biltmore Village community, completed in 1896.
Insider Tip: The historic cottages of Biltmore Village surround the cathedral and are worth walking through.
Dylan's Must-Do List
- S&W Market's restored Art Deco ceiling in the main hall
- The Basilica's unreinforced Guastavino dome
- Battery Park Book Exchange inside the Grove Arcade
- Highland Brewing's rooftop at sunset
- City Hall's Art Deco exterior after dark, when it's lit
Reality Check
- Biltmore admission is expensive and pricing is seasonal — book online in advance for the lower rate
- Some River Arts District studios are still rebuilding post-Helene; check what's currently open before a visit
- Downtown parking is limited — park once and walk rather than moving your car between stops
- Several downtown buildings are more distinctive inside than outside; step in if the lobby is open to the public
Where to Stay
Walking distance to most of this itinerary's stops; parking is limited but most sites are close together.
Puts you inside a historic district rather than just visiting one for an afternoon.
Getting Around
- • Downtown sites are walkable to each other
- • A car is needed for Biltmore Estate and the River Arts District
Photo Ops
- 📸 S&W Building ceiling
- 📸 Basilica dome interior
- 📸 Grove Arcade from Page Avenue
- 📸 City Hall at night
Rainy Day Alternatives
- Extended time in Grove Arcade shops
- Asheville Art Museum (gorgeous modern addition)
- Battery Park Book Exchange browsing
- S&W Market food hall exploring
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