Asheville’s River Arts District is making art again weeks after Hurricane Helene

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Nearly seven weeks after Hurricane Helene ravaged areas of Western North Carolina, the city of Asheville is opening its doors.

Most restaurants and stores are back in business, and tourists are slowly returning.

But the city’s River Arts District will take much longer to recover.

About 80% of the district was destroyed or heavily damaged by the storm when the French Broad River swelled and raged over its banks.

A number of buildings collapsed.

But Channel 2′s Bryan Mims found that the community is making art again.

The home fires are burning once more here on Roberts Street. The furnaces blaze and the artistry shines through.

The glass blowers at the North Carolina Glass Center are practicing their craft again.

When the storm came and the river rose, the fires died.

“It was really hard. We have a pretty large staff, and we’ve had to cut it down quite a bit and have our staff hopefully come back really soon. But you know, we’re kind of taking everything day-by-day,” gallery manager Amelia Rosenberg said.

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Rosenberg and her fellow artists live by. After the storm, rubble stacked up and workshops sat idle.

“There’s rubble everywhere. And it’s like organized rubble. And it hurts the heart to see it. But we’re hopeful,” Rosenberg said.

There is reason to hope. So much of this vibrant, picturesque city is glowing with commerce again.

In downtown Asheville, most restaurants and shops have reopened, even though the city’s tap water is not yet safe to drink.

Restaurants like Manicomio Pizza, owned by Jon Leibowitz, have brought in tanks of drinkable water.

“The town is slowly getting a little bit back, I’d say. It’s not back, but we’re gradually getting back there,” Leibowitz said.

Francee Healy, a local, told Mims that she could feel the Asheville vibe again.

“It’s still quiet, but I think once the tourists realize things are open again, they’ll be back,” Healy said.

At the glass center, the attitude is glass-half-full. Much has been lost but the city is too embracing -- too beautiful -- for artists to leave.

“We’re strong. We’re here. And we’re gonna come back better than ever,” Rosenberg said.

This past weekend, the River Arts District hosted RAD fest, inviting artists to show their works -- and a big crowd turned out.

As for the city’s water, officials say it will likely be mid-December before it’s safe to drink from the faucet again.

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