The North Carolina Room, Pack Memorial Library kicked off with a full house the first of a six part series, “Asheville in the 1980s: A Formative Decade Told by Those Who Shaped It” on Wednesday evening April 27. The series is sponsored by the Friends of the North Carolina Room.
There was a current of excitement in the room as people gathered.
![IMG_3604[2]](https://packlibraryncroom.files.wordpress.com/2016/04/img_36042.jpg?w=1140)

The moderators for the program, Jan Schochet, Wayne Caldwell and Peggy Gardner, were joined by panelists Norma Price, and Larry Holt. The map on the screen shows the 11 acre area of downtown buildings that would have been demolished.
Norma Price served on Asheville City Council from 1977 through 1989. Larry Holt served as Deputy Director of the Housing Urban Development Office and inspected the buildings in the demolition area.
Guests who had first hand experience during this time were also on hand, especially to help answer questions from the audience. Special guests included Betty Lawrence, Leon Rocamora, Bob and Ellen Carr and Ed Hay.
Jane Mathews and Pat Price

Dana Irwin, John Quigley and Annette Brown talk; in the background, people enjoyed seeing the display of 1980s photographs and memorabilia on display.
(BCTV at ttp://www.buncombecounty.org/governing/depts/public-relations/bctv.aspx,)
For more detail on “Save Downtown Asheville and The Wrap” see last week’s post by clicking on the link.
If anyone would like further historical information, the Save Downtown Asheville Collection, MS216 is housed in the North Carolina Room. Photographs of The Wrap can be viewed on our database ncroom.buncombecounty.org.
W also have the Asheville Downtown Commercial Complex Redevelopment Plan by the Housing Authority of the City of Asheville in Cooperation with City of Asheville, Division of Planning, September 8, 1981 which was the plan for this downtown mall complex. Ref. N.C. 307.34 ASH.
Photographs by Brenda Murphree.
Post by Zoe Rhine, Librarian.
1 Comment