U.S. Army training coming to WNC? Reserve to be built in Asheville: House Rep. Edwards
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
ASHEVILLE - The Department of the Army will fund a $32 million project in Asheville that includes the construction of a U.S. Army Reserve, as announced by Republican Congressman Chuck Edwards June 21.
The contract funds the building of a 300-member Army Reserve Center, including a nearly 35,000-square-foot ARC Training Building, a 13,000-square-foot Vehicle Maintenance Shop and a 1,700-square-foot Unheated Storage Building, according to the announcement.
The project in the Asheville vicinity will be completed by June 2026, the news release said. The estimated cost range is between $25 and $100 million.
“This project will not only benefit our armed forces, but it is also an opportunity for military leaders to explore additional avenues that (Western North Carolina) could contribute to our nation’s military readiness, such as taking advantage of our topography, which is similar to that of many of our adversaries, for military training,” Edwards said in the release.
More: US House Rep. Edwards seeks $38M for Western NC: Brevard water, Asheville police, more
Edwards, a first-term representative of the far western 11th District, included an amendment in the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act passed by the U.S. House of Representatives requiring the Department of Defense complete a survey of 15 counties in WNC as potential locations for future defense facilities.
"(WNC), with its mountainous terrain, has the attributes for a unique role in doing our part to support our military and reservists, and I’m pleased that the Department of the Army has agreed with the approach taken by my House-passed NDAA amendment,” Edwards said.
Cybersecurity Measures, Antiterrorism/Force Protection and physical security measures will be incorporated into the project's design, according to the announcement. Facilities will be designed to last a minimum of 40 years in accordance with the DoD's Unified Facilities Criteria.
More: US Army veteran dies in collision after Buncombe sheriff chase; DA not informed of death
More: Madison County holds first veterans health benefits fair in county's history
Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at rober@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @ryleyober
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville to get $32 million U.S. Army Reserve by June 2026: Edwards
