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Below, please find the history of the successful campaign waged by local preservationists to save three historic Asheville properties.The potential loss of two of Asheville's historic homes and the venerable Grove Park Inn Golf Club house has raised a cry of concern from the WNC preservation community. To keep all concerned preservationists informed of the fate of these two historic homes and the Grove Park Inn Golf Club house, Asheville.com will produce and update this web page as events require. Anyone who has new or relevant information regarding these three threatened properties can email Asheville.com at [email protected].
To develop an overview of the current status of the three properties at risk, it is necessary to review the history of the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa (pictured on top right) and its current position as a world-class resort. Grove also developed the downtown Grove Arcade building (pictured on the right). The historic Grove Arcade, located in downtown Asheville, is considered to be one of the first malls built in the US in the early 1900's. The Grove Arcade Foundation and CP&L are currently restoring the Grove Arcade, and returnig it to a retail mall. Ironically, the individual with whom the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa has contracted to demolish the Bynam house, Jerry Gilley, is currently employed by the Grove Arcade Foundation. The Grove Arcade Foundation is a local WNC foundation that was formed with the expressed purpose to save the historic Grove Arcade building, and restore it to its original grandeur.
Charles Sammons purchased the Grove Park Inn in 1955. He and his wife Elaine have since guided The Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa through an era of extraordinary expansion and growth. During the 1990's, the Grove Park Inn constructed two new wings, the Sammons Wing and the Vanderbilt Wing, on either side of the main inn that expanded the inn to 510 rooms. The resort also has an eighteen-hole golf course and a tennis complex. The massive expansions over the past ten years, and the renovation of the golf course have created the impetus to build a new golf club house and new driving range. Both the new golf club house and the driving range have been tentatively projected by the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa to be located on the Bynum and Battle properties.
The two homes at risk, the Bynum house However, according to William Wescott (seen in the doorway of the Bynum house), a local preservation/restoration engineer, the Bynum house has been "sold" by the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa to Jerry Gilley, a Charlotte developer who now is working for the Grove Arcade Foundation, for one dollar, with the understanding that Gilley will relocate the house to another location. The immediate concern regarding the Bynum house is that Gilley has applied for a demolition permit with the City of Asheville, not a moving permit. Gilley's demolition permit only lacks approval from the North Carolina Environmental Protection Air Quality office, located at 59 Woodfin Place in Asheville.
The Bynum house is situated on a 5.8-acre lot that is zoned R-4. The R-4 zoning classification is limited to two single family units per acre. Even if the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa follows through with its current plans to have the Bynum house moved to another location, or simply demolished, it still could not use the 5.8-acre tract of land for anything other than placing two single family units per acre on the property. To use the Bynum lot, the Grove Park Inn Resort will have to be sucessful in having the zoning for the Bynum house lot changed to a classification that will permit the property to be used for a resort golf club house, golf course or golf driving range.
The Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa is also considering alternative plans for its Golf Club house (pictured in bottom photo) that is located on the northeast side of the Grove Park Inn. Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa manager, Craig Madison, says they may possibly tear down all three buildings to make room for a new golf club house located on the property that the Bynum and Battle houses are currently situated. Preservation Options for the Subject Properties. There are a number of options that the Grove Park Inn can consider rather than tearing down the two historic homes and the Grove Park Inn golf club house. These options are in order of preference to most preservationists. These are just six possible solutions to saving these three historic structures. The Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa has always been a good corporate citizen and a good neighbor to Asheville. The Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa, through some thoughtful negotiations and, perhaps, with some reasonable compromises with its north Asheville neighbors and the Asheville City Council, can reach an agreeable solution(s) for these properties. Asheville.com encourages all parties to work together to arrive at an acceptable solution(s) that will save these three historic properties from demolition. (9/07/01) Breaking News on the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa Properties. : The Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa manager, Craig Madison, has agreed to meet with the Asheville-Buncombe Preservation Society's representatives on Monday, September 10, at 10:00 a.m, at the Grove Park Inn Resort to discuss a solution(s) for the threatened properties. (See Story below regarding outcome of meeting held with Preservation Society representatives and the Grove Park Inn officials.)
(9/18/01) Breaking News on the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa Properties. : According to Robert Griffin, an Asheville Architect and long time preservationist, Jerry Gilley, the individual who currently possesses a $1.00 moving/demolition contract on the $1.8 million Bynum House, communicated to the Grove Park Inn the following: (9/18/01) Breaking News on the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa Properties. : The Grove Park Sunset Neighborhood Association met on Tuesday, September 18 at the Manor Inn to discuss overall objectives for their neighborhood association. Craig Madison, Grove Park Inn Resort and Spar manager, was expected to attend the meeeting, but called and cancelled at the last moment.
(9/25/01) Breaking News on the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa Properties. : Area neighbors are expressing anger over the disappearance of yard signs that were posted in area yards to protest the demolition of the three threatened properties owned by the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa. Bill Wescott, a local preservation/restoration engineer, says, "Signs are disappearing from numerous yards throughout the Grove Park area. We will continue to monitor the signs, and discuss this issue at our meeting on Thursday, October 11th. at the Manor Inn Apartments" (9/26/01) Breaking News on the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa Properties. : Area preservationists have ordered bumper stickers in an effort to save the three threatened propterties. The bumpers stickers will say, "Save Our Buildings Grove Park Inn," and will be available at the Preservation Society's office located at 13 Biltmore Avenue in Asheville, NC, 28801. (9/27/01) Breaking News on the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa Properties. : Preservationists met for the third time on September 27th. at the Longchamps Condominiums. Over $2,000 was raised at the meeting to pay for additional yard signs, and for studies for the local landmark designations for the three threatened properties. Additonal donations can be sent to the Asheville-Buncombe Preservation Society, 13 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville, NC, 28801. Bumper stickers will also be available at the same address. (10/02/01) Breaking News on the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa Properties.: Representatives of the Grove Park Sunset Neighborhood Association met with Craig Madison, the general manager of the Grove Park Inn. Madison was informed that the yard sign campaign, being orchestrated by the Asheville-Buncombe Preservation Society and area preservationist, will continue until the Grove Park Inn places preservation easements on the three threatened Grove Park Inn properties. Madison said a land planning study of the Grove Park Inn property is currently being compiled by architects, and a final decison would not be made regarding the threatened properties until the study is completed and reviewed by the Grove Park Inn Resort officials. Madison was also made aware the bumper sticker campaign is about to begin. (10/05/01) Breaking News on the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa Properties.: Allen Fleishel, executive director of the Asheville-Buncombe Preservation Society, was contacted on Thursday, October 4, by a reporter from the Raleigh News & Observer newspaper with regards to the campaign to preserve the three threatened Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa properties. The Raleigh News & Observer will be publishing a story concerning the campaign to save the three threatened Grove Park Inn properties. News releases have been sent to all major newspapers and preservation organizations throughout the country in an effort to help publicize the plight of the three threatened properties. (10/12/01) Breaking News on the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa Properties.: David Holcombe, past president of the Asheville-Buncombe Preservation Society, announced at the preservation meeting held at the historic Manor Inn on October 11 that the Grove Park Inn officials have requested a meeting with the Preservation Society to discuss the future of the three threatened Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa properties. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 16th. at 11:00 a.m. at the Grove Park Inn Resort. "Save our Buildings Grove Park Inn" bumper stickers were also distributed at the meeting, and are available at the Preservation Society's office located at 13 Biltmore Avenue in Asheville. (10/16/01) Breaking News on the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa Properties.: A committee representing area preservationists met with Craig Madison, general manager of the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa, on Tuesday, October 16, 2001, to discuss preserving the three threatened Grove Park Inn properties. An announcement from the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa is expected later this week regarding its plans for the three threatened properties. (10/31/01) Breaking News on the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa Properties.: The Grove Park Inn announced in a letter to the Historic Resource Commission on Tuesday, October 31, that they are making a resolute commitment to preserve the three threatened historic properties, the Bynum house the Battle house and the Grove Park Inn Clubhouse, by supporting the Historic Resource Commission's pursuit of Local Historic Landmark status for the three properties. "Save our Buildings Grove Park Inn" souvenir bumper stickers are available at the Preservation Society's office located at 13 Biltmore Avenue in Asheville. (Donations to the Preservation Society are accepted.) Below, please find a list of news stories published by Asheville.com relating to the three threatened properties, the Bynum house, the Battle house and the Grove Park Inn Golf Club house.
More details
More details More details More details More details More details More details Click on the "Save the Bynum house petition" link to access a copy of the petition being circulated by the Preservation Society. Download a copy of the petition using your printer, and circulate the petition among neighbors and friends. When completed, mail in the copy to the Preservation Society."Save the Bynum House Petition." Anyone who has additional information that he or she thinks should be added to this page, please email [email protected].
Those wishing to contact the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa can email the general manager, Craig Madison at: Those wishing to contact Mrs. Elaine Sammons, owner of the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa, her mailing address is: 5949 Sherry Lane, Suite 1900, Dallas, Texas 75225. Those wishing to use the Asheville-Buncombe Preservation Society press release, please click here, "Press Release." For a complete list of media addresses, postal and email addresses, please click here, "News Press Addresses."
 all contents copyright © 1999, asheville.com. contact: [email protected] or 828.253.2880 For listing and advertising information...
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Edwin W. Grove, the developer of the Grove Park Inn, began construction of the Grove Park Inn in 1912. 
The golf course is currently undergoing a $2.5 million renovation (see picture below on right). The Grove Park Inn became the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa in February 2001 when the new $40 million spa was completed, making it a truly world-class resort. 
(pictured fourth on the right) and the Battle house (pictured in fifth picture on right) are adjacent to, and to the southwest of, the Grove Park Inn. The Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa purchased the Bynum House in 1999 for a reported $1.8 million.
According to Allen Fleishel, executive director of the Asheville-Buncombe Preservation Society, the permit that Gilley has applied for from the City of Asheville is a demolition permit and not a moving permit. Fleishel says, "The demolition permit is public record and can be confirmed by calling the City permitting department at 828-259-5846. Demolition permits and moving permits are two separate permits. The demolition permit for the Bynum House has not been issued, yet." 
There is also some concern that the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa may have already expanded its golf course during its current course renovations onto part of the Bynum property (see two photos to right) that is currently zoned R-4. A golf course tee has been located adjacent to some rockwork in the back area of the Bynum house. The rockwork was originally part of the Bynum house's landscaping. A golf course use for the Bynum house property would be a nonconforming use for its current R-4 zoning.
The future use for the current golf club house site, after it has been torn down, has not yet been announced. 
(9/24/01) Breaking News on the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa Properties. : Maggie O'Connor, Executive Director of the Historic Resource Commission, met on Monday, September 24 with Craig Madison, General Manager of the Grove Park Inn and Troy Hunnicutt, director of development for the Grove Park Inn, to discuss the local landmark designation that the HRC voted to initiate for the three threatened properties. O'Connor said, "The meeting was very positive, and, primarily, informative for the Grove Park Inn Resort officials. We simply explained what a land mark designation would mean for the three subject properties." (Grove Park Inn Resort Golf Club house pictured on the right.)