CANDLER, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Popular discount warehouse chain Costco Wholesale is meeting with city planners to determine if plans for a new Costco in Enka-Candler will come to fruition.
According to city of Asheville principal planner Will Palmquist, the Costco plans are in very early stages.
“We received a request to have a pre-application to the Technical Review Committee meeting. Which is essentially an informal review of a sketch site plan for a project,” said Palmquist. “That’s required for projects going to the TRC eventually. So, it’s of a very preliminary nature, so I’m not going to say, yes, it’s coming, or no, it’s not.”
While definitive plans to build an Asheville Costco are up in the air, meetings are happening to discuss it. Palmquist said that the city will meet with Costco tomorrow, March 5, before they consider submitting a formal application.
The proposed site for the new warehouse is at the Enka Commerce Park. Palmquist said that the city is still determining if the spot would be the best fit for the traffic flow of a Costco.
“We still need to do a little more research,” Palmquist said. “Compatibility, future land use, closer look at the transportation network and those kinds of considerations.”
Enka Commerce Park is accessible by several points, including Smokey Park Highway, a Hominy Creek bridge and Sand Hill Road.
“From that perspective, I’d say access is pretty good, so we’ll be more working as far as the addibility and site viability for the project in the meantime,” Palmquist said. “But I’d say, initially, it has the potential to be a well-located site.”
If submitted and approved, the site would occupy nearly 40 acres of land. Costco would only take up one portion of the site, leaving 10 acres of land as an outparcel for future development.
The nearest Costco for most Asheville members is in South Carolina, leading to great excitement in the community about the potential for a closer location.
Palmquist is intrigued by the prospect, too.
“I’ve never actually been to one, so I do want to check it out,” Palmquist admitted. “I know they have a lot of good deals on things. I’m not sure if I’d become a member or not, but I’d be interested in checking it out, for sure.”
