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WNC Business

GBX Group Forms Local Partnership to Advance Arts-Themed Campus in Asheville’s River Arts District

Jun 01, 2026 01:01PM ● By WNC Business

GBX Group LLC announce a formal partnership with Asheville-based development leaders Chris Eller, Eddie Dewey, and Brent Starck (the “Foundy Team”), a major milestone in advancing the recovery and reactivation of Asheville’s River Arts District following Hurricane Helene. The partnership includes the investment in historic properties on Foundy Street - 4, 5, 11, 17, 26, 27, 36, and 42 Foundy Street - and 289 Lyman Street, located in the River Arts District. This partnership, along with GBX Group’s investment in Riverview Station at 191 Lyman Street, reinforces the partners’ long-term commitment to Asheville and establishes a unified strategy to strengthen the River Arts District as an arts-themed campus that supports the city’s creative economy.

“Following the devastation from Hurricane Helene, our team has focused on initiatives to help reopen the River Arts District and restore its place as one of the country’s most vibrant centers for creative work,” said Taylor Davis, a GBX Group representative. “Partnering with the Foundy Team builds on the momentum from the reopening of Marquee Asheville and creates a unified investment strategy to rehabilitate and reposition Riverview Station and the other historic properties along Lyman and Foundy Streets so they can support Asheville artists and entertainers.”
Asheville Foundy Street

A Coordinated Plan for Stabilization, Tenant Reactivation, and Long-Term Redevelopment

Through the newly formed partnership, GBX Group and the Foundy Team will align expertise in adaptive reuse, large-scale development, and community-centered placemaking—bringing coordinated decision-making and local leadership to accelerate near-term readiness and long-term planning across a growing campus footprint in the River Arts District.

Asheville Foundy Street
“We’ve all watched the River Arts District fight its way back, and the speed of that return has been inspiring,” said Chris Eller, on behalf of the Foundy Team. “This partnership is about aligning resources and decision-making, so the district’s recovery is not just timely—but lasting. We’re focused on stabilization and tenant readiness now, while also building a coordinated plan that supports artists, makers, and small businesses for the long term.”

For years, Riverview Station and the surrounding district have served as home to dozens of working studios and small businesses. Hurricane Helene displaced tenants, damaged buildings, and disrupted commercial and artistic activity across one of Asheville’s most beloved creative corridors—where flooding reached 24–25 feet in some areas.

A phased strategy is now underway that prioritizes stabilization, returning-tenant support, and long-range redevelopment planning. Early progress across the district includes the highly successful Marquee Asheville reopening, which welcomed more than 5,000 visitors and showcased nearly 300 regional artists, underscoring the resilience of the creative community and strong public enthusiasm for the district’s revival. Additional tenant buildouts are also underway, including a rock-climbing facility, new restaurant concepts, and the relocation of an established woodworking shop—all contributing to renewed activity.

“GBX Group views the River Arts District as a hit-the-ground-running investment opportunity since many of these projects are already underway,” Davis added. “Our team has the resources and the plan to accelerate the district’s recovery and to support the artists, makers, and small businesses who form the heart of Asheville’s creative community.”

Source: GBX Group.
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