An early morning fire Friday destroyed an affordable housing complex that was under construction on the edge of downtown Asheville. No injuries were reported.
The Asheville Fire Department says the fire is 'suspicious in nature' and is being investigated by multiple law enforcement agencies. It started around 1:30 Friday morning at the three-story complex at 360 Hilliard Avenue. Just over a year ago, city council voted to sell the land to a developer to build an 86-unit mixed income residential apartment complex, with 34 of those to affordable housing units.
In addition to the damage at the construction site, several cars, tennis courts and windscreens at the adjacent Aston Park Tennis Center also sustained damage. The center is closed until further notice.