The Southern Highland Reader

HIGHLANDS–Bored with traditional Thanksgiving-weekend trappings? Then head to The Bascom this week with out-of-town guests for three eclectic visual art exhibitions on the art center’s six-acre historical campus. “American Art Today, Juried Works,” featuring more than 40 pieces from artists across the nation, is in the Main Gallery; “The Shopping Bag: Exemplary Art and Design” (above), featuring a collection of historical bag samples from the Newark (N.J.) Public Library, is in the Loft Gallery; and “Enchanted Forest,” featuring creations by The Bascom’s youth art students, is in the Children’s Gallery. Admission is always free. Hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Thanksgiving Day). While on-campus, also hike The Bascom’s Nature Trail or do some browsing in the Shop, which offers unique, handcrafted items by local and regional artists. For more information, call (828) 526-4949 or visit www.thebascom.org.

The Bascom

HIGHLANDS–The lead from the Hollywood Reporter:

Collin Wilcox Paxton, who played the white-trash girl who accused a black man of raping her in the classic 1962 film “To Kill a Mockingbird,” died Oct. 14 of brain cancer at her home in Highlands, N.C. She was 74.

Paxton was a long time resident of Highlands, and was active in the arts community there.

Read the entire story here.

HIGHLANDS–The Atlanta Journal Constitution painted a technicolor picture on Tuesday of the mountain luxury home market.

Reporter Jeffry Scott’s lead:

The bidders came dressed like money on vacation, in polo shirts, sneakers, shorts, loafers without socks and khaki slacks. One wore a flowery print beach shirt; another, a straw cowboy hat, cowboy boots, black jeans and a snake skin jacket.

Into this crowd, the owner of a $4.8 million mountainside luxury second home, cast his plight. And, if you had to guess, you’re probably right. He didn’t get his $4.8 million. He got barely more than half that — $2.45 million.

In a lengthy story for the business section, Scott goes on to give a detailed description of the sluggish high-end real estate market in Highlands and Atlanta, and to make clear how some owners of these properties are turning to simple absolute auction.

Another clip:

Owners of multi-million-dollar estates and second homes built during the boom years who are trying to unload the homes now are watching as they languish, overpriced and unsold, on the market, sometimes for years, then resorting to the last resort: absolute auctions.

In an absolute auction there’s no minimum bid and the seller can’t pull out because the top bid is too low. Three bangs of the gavel and it’s gone. Half of what you hoped for? Tough.

Read the entire piece here.

HIGHLANDS, N.C. – The Bascom is taking its community youth art classes up a notch with a new Saturday program for elementary through middle school age children.

Saturday Art School at The Bascom begins next Saturday, Oct. 24, for kindergartners through eighth graders. Fun, hands-on, age-appropriate art classes are held every Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. Classes are held for two different age groups: grades K-3 and grades 4-8.

A student in a Bascom youth art class works on a project. A new program called Saturday Art School at The Bascom begins next Saturday, Oct. 24, for kindergartners through eighth graders. Registration is going on now.

The K-3rd Grade class will introduce children to all sorts of materials and methods of art making, with an emphasis on self-expression and immersion into the joy of creating.

The 4th-8th Grade class will cover the fundamentals of art while exploring a variety of media. While having fun with new materials and concepts, students will be gaining an understanding of the basic elements of art that form the foundation for future art study.

“Bring your child to art school for the morning,” said Norma Smith Hendrix, Bascom education director. “Parents can come and have coffee in The Bascom library while their child is in class, or they can drop off their child and enjoy a walk either on our nature trail or downtown Highlands.”

Cost is $64 for an eight-week session, with all materials included. Pre-registration is required and now open.

For more information or to register, visit www.thebascom.org or call (828) 526-4949 ext. 100.

HIGHLANDS–California actor Lee Stetson will take on the likeness of John Muir in a performance Friday at the Highlands Playhouse. The show, called “An Evening With John Muir”, is sponsored by the WNC Alliance and the Jackson-Macon Conservation Alliance.

Tuckasegee writer Thomas Crowe previewed the performance in the most recent issue of the Cashiers Crossroads Chronicle; here’s an excerpt:

While the Sierras were [Muir's] preferred stomping grounds, he did travel, throughout his lifetime to many areas of the country, including the western N.C., mountains.

As if by some kind of time-warp or reincarnation intervention, Muir will be returning to the mountains of western N.C., for the first time since his visit in 1867 as part of his now-famous 1,000-Mile Walk.

As a walk (in to the body of California-based actor Lee Stetson) Muir will be giving talks in Asheville and Highlands that relate some of his most remarkable adventures in the wild, including a remarkable “tree ride” in a windstorm, a “sleigh ride” on a snow avalanche, his “interview” with a bear, and a face-to-fang encounter with a rattlesnake. Muir’s true wilderness tales are liberally salted with his wilderness philosophy–all around the theme of the health and invigoration one acquires when one fully and joyfully engages wildness.

But even more important to us, here in the Smoky Mountains, he will be talking about his time spent here in the western Carolina mountains.

Read the entirety of Crowe’s piece here.

The performance in Highlands on Friday, October 9 at 7 p.m., will also include a “Meet Lee Stetson /Patron’s Party” from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., which will include wine and hors d’oeuvres. For ticket info, visit the Jackson Macon Conservation Alliance website, here.

Pat Conroy

HIGHLANDS–Pat Conroy’s latest novel — and his first since the mid-nineties — is South Of Broad, which recently reached number one on the New York Times bestseller list and is number two on the American Independent Booksellers list.

Conroy wrote a good bit of the book in Highlands, where he and his wife, writer Casandra King, have spent the past few summers.

Conroy’s recent book signing at Cyrano’s Bookshop in Highlands drew an enormous crowd, writes the Macon News’s Mac Isaacs in this feature.

Here’s an excerpt:

Cyrano’s Bookshop, a fixture on Main Street in Highlands since 1978, is one of Conroy’s favorite places as well. And it isn’t just because the establishment sells his books. Conroy tells the story of the first time he came to town. One of the banks here did not recognize him and would not cash his check. So Conroy thought, “Maybe they’ll know who I am at the bookstore.”

“Without question,” Randolph Shaffner, Cyrano’s founder and then owner said. Ever since, Conroy has cashed his checks at Cyrano’s. He refers to Shaffner as his “banker.”

Read the whole piece here.

HIGHLANDS – A musical trip of a lifetime and a stunning painting by Aix-en-Provence artist Jill Steenhuis are among the amazing auction items up for bid at The Bascom’s Autumn Leaves Gala on Oct. 2.

This original painting by Steenhuis, an American-born acclaimed Cezanne specialist who lives with her French husband and three sons in Southern France, will go to one lucky bidder at The Bascom's Autumn Leaves Gala, Oct. 2.

Four tickets to the Rome Chamber Music Festival’s opening night gala and concert on June 6, 2010, plus four tickets to an additional performance during the June 7-10, 2010, festival run, will go to one lucky bidder. The Festival has played to full houses of chamber music enthusiasts from around the world and has received brilliant reviews every year since its inception in 2003. The Rome Chamber Music Festival is endorsed by the Embassies of the United States of America to Italy and to the Holy See, as well as the City of Rome and the Italian Ministry of Cultural Affairs.

Another lucky bidder will win an original painting by Steenhuis, an American-born acclaimed Cezanne specialist who lives with her French husband and three sons in Southern France. Her studio at the Chateau Noir from 1981 to 1995 is where Post Impressionist painter Paul Cezanne had his studio for 30 years, and her paintings are collected internationally.

“Every year, The Bascom holds an Autumn auction to benefit the exhibition and education programming at the nonprofit visual arts center, and every year, the items are better and better. But this year, the items are off the charts,” said Beth Nellis, event chair. “Imagine yourself and three friends in the Eternal City enjoying masterworks performed by world-renowned musicians. Then imagine an incredible French landscape taking up residence on your mantle. Come to the Autumn Leaves Gala, and you can have all of this and more.”

Held at The Farm at Old Edwards Inn, the Autumn Leaves Gala also features a seated dinner from Executive Chef Johannes Klapdohr, as well as wine and spirits. Dozens of live and silent auction items will be available for bid.

Tickets to the Auction Gala are $225 each. For tickets to the Friday, Oct. 2, Auction Gala or its sister event, the casual Saturday, Oct. 3, Autumn Leaves Party ($35), visit www.thebascom.org/autumnleaves or call (828) 526-4949, ext. 4. Combination tickets for both nights are $250.

Corporate sponsors are Old Edwards Inn & Spa as presenting sponsor, ZWJ Investments as gold sponsor, Donna Laird Graphic Design, Franklin Ford/Moss Robertson Cadillac, Highlands’ Newspaper, The Hillside Shops at Cashiers Village, InMed, The Laurel magazine, The Shoptaw Group, and Zeke and Earl’s Hot Dog Stand.

HIGHLANDS–Few people grow up in this neck of the woods without becoming familiar with Dry Falls.

The waterfall, between Highlands and Franklin on US 64, is close enough to the road to allow access for everyone from the least adventurous tourist to the most rambunctious elementary school bus-full, so, at some point, most all of us get there.

Access to the falls has been closed, though, for almost two years, as a contractor for the Forest Service has worked on improving the facilities. But Dry Falls will soon reopen.

Here’s a story from the Highlands Highlander.

An excerpt:

The project began late September of 2007 and was scheduled to be yearlong contract. Originally the designs included a parking lot across Highway 64 with a walkway spanning over the road, but a lack of funding put those plans on hold.

“There’s no funding for that at the moment but its still a possibility,” said Mike [Wilkins], Nantahala District Ranger. “Our next priority is to fix the trail down to the falls. We worry about people tripping and falling if they’re not careful.”

REGIONAL–Asheville website RomanticAsheville.com offers up this list of what it considers the region’s top waterfalls.

Whitewater Falls, south of Cashiers, makes the cut at number four, and Gorges State Park and Graveyard Fields are in the top half.

The piece links to a separate list of Highlands-area falls.

An excerpt:

Upper Whitewater Falls is the highest waterfall east of the Rockies. The falls plunge an amazing 411 feet! The best part is that you can get a great view with a short walk. Just follow the paved walkway to the upper overlook. The walkway begins at the end of the parking lot and is accessible to wheelchairs. A lower overlook is located at the bottom of 154 wooden steps. More energetic hikers can continue down the half-mile spur trail that drops 600 feet in elevation to the Whitewater River and Foothills Trail.

Upper Whitewater Falls/Photo by Mark File/RomanticAsheville.com

HIGHLANDS–It’s been a couple of decades since I spent a summer in Highlands, waiting tables at the Old Edwards Inn and having many meals at the restaurants roundabout.

Old Edwards Inn and Spa

The Old Edwards — and its Central House Restaurant — was under different ownership at the time, but the dining room served fresh seafood imaginatively done and was wall-to-wall most nights. It has since gone ultra high-end.

The Lakeside Restaurant I remember as unassuming but very nice — one of those special places where ownership had struck just the right balance between the surroundings, service and food.

Hot off the presses, then, are these reviews in the foodie blog of a Manhattan couple who just happened to spend the Independence Day weekend up the mountain in Highlands.

Many of us take our surroundings for granted, and its easy to put insular Highlands out-of-sight, out-of-mind, but the authors of winedanddined.com remind us that the town is a world class food and wine destination.

An excerpt:

For those of you who haven’t heard of Highlands, it’s a mountain town in the Southern Appalachains and located in the Nantahala National Forest. It’s truly a one-of-a-kind place. There are beautiful golf courses, fantastic restaurants, wine and cheese shops, waterfalls, hiking trails, boutique craft shops and more. What most people probably don’t know is that Highlands is a world-class food and wine destination with 6 restaurants that have received the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. Needless to say, we’ve been doing some intensive ‘wining & dining’ around Highlands over the past few days. Here’s a taste of where we’ve been…

Book:

The Work of Joe Webb
Appalachian Master of Rustic Architecture
By Reuben Cox

A photographer studies the work of a log cabin craftsman

During the 1920s and 1930s, builder Joe Webb constructed nearly three dozen log homes in the tiny Appalachian town of Highlands, North Carolina. The cabins were built without the aid of power tools–or architectural plans–and all of these exquisite structures are located within a five-mile radius.

In The Work of Joe Webb, photographer Reuben Cox captures the atmosphere and ambience of these idiosyncratic and important historic buildings. Using a large-format field camera, Cox has documented all of Webb’s extant cabins. Beautifully presented in tritone, his images explore the lush, rhododendron-filled settings of Webb’s constructions as well as the rich grain of their chestnut and pine posts and beams. Cox, a Highlands native, also includes an essay that places the work within a regional and historical context. Yet this is less an analytical taxonomy of Webb’s cabins than an expansive meditation in which Cox employs his own art to understand another man’s life work and the extraordinary qualities of that which is handmade and unique.

Reuben Cox is a photographer who divides his time between Highlands, North Carolina, and New York City. Cox’s work has appeared in several one-man shows and is represented by Bespoke Gallery. His photographs have also appeared in Blind Spot, Aperture, Doubletake, the New York Times Magazine, the New Yorker, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, House and Garden, and other publications. Find out more about Cox and his work at www.reubencox.us.

More images

The Bascom, Highlands

Who can resist the charm and unrestricted creativity of children’s art? The Bascom will be exhibiting all manner of delightful art projects – a culmination of the 2008/09 Young Artist Program – from June 19 to July 11 on the ground floor of the main building at The Bascom. Following will be the exhibition Summer Camp Projects, which will be on view July 18 to Sept. 26.

It will be a new experience for children to have their classes in the beautifully appointed studio of The Bascom’s new main building. The north side of the classroom opens to the outdoors.

The Young Artist Program Summer Camp for children ages 5 to 13 is from June 23 to July 28. The camp includes crafts, clay, painting and mixed media with Bascom art teacher Susan Nastasic. Camp is offered Tuesdays at The Bascom: ages 5-8 from 10 to 11 a.m. and ages 9 to 13 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Camp is offered on Thursdays at the Highlands Recreation Park: ages 5 to 8 from 1 to 2 p.m. and ages 9-12 from 2 to 3 p.m. Drop in for one class or take them all: cost is $30 for a 6-class session or $5 per class.

This season at The Bascom, several intergenerational classes have been added that can accommodate young children and their families. Knitting, mask-making, card-making and rubber stamping are among the subjects that will be explored. A full lineup of classes is available at www.thebascom.org. Registration is now open for the summer programs. Prices range from $5 to $95.

Youth programming continues into the fall and winter. For more information, contact The Bascom at (828) 526-4949 or www.thebascom.org.

Western Carolina University, Cullowhee

CULLOWHEE – Children can explore the world of theater this summer during a weeklong summer camp hosted by Western Carolina University’s College of Fine and Performing Arts.

The Theatre Summer Camp will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, July 13, through Friday, July 17. The camp is for children ages 8 to 13 years old. The cost is $125 per child, with additional children from the same family receiving a rate of $100 for the week. Camp is limited to 40 participants, with campers providing their own lunches, snacks and beverages.

Camp participants will perform a show of their own creation at 7 p.m. Friday, July 17, at the Fine and Performing Arts Center.

The camp requires no previous theater experience, although children with a theater background are welcome, said Paul Lormand, director of WCU’s Fine and Performing Arts Center. “The camp is an opportunity for children to develop an interest in theater and to develop an appreciation for live theater,” Lormand said. “It’s really about creativity and using your imagination.”

Professional actors with Bright Star Children’s Theatre, an Asheville theater company, will run the camp. Activities will include games, improvisation, basic directing, learning stage direction, tours of the WCU theater facilities and more. The campers’ performance will grow from an activity where the children play characters based on a selection of hats – such as a top hat, sailor’s hat or nurse’s cap – they are given to wear.

Lormand decided to host the camp as a service to the community’s younger children, who have limited opportunities to engage in theater. He would like the camp to become an annual event for younger children in the tradition of the Triple Arts Broadway Series, held each year on campus for high school and college students and led by Terrence Mann, a Broadway actor and WCU’s Phillips Distinguished Professor of Musical Theatre.

David Ostergaard, a native of Sylva, launched Bright Star Theatre in August 2003. Each year, the theater group’s 12 actors perform hundreds of children’s shows in 14 states. Bright Star’s summer theater camps are led by professional actors with teaching experience. Because the camp offers a variety of theater-related activities, it allows campers to find a niche, Ostergaard said. “The camps also inspire team-building skills, trust, confidence and friendships,” he said. “And by the end of the week, the students have the accomplishment of putting on a play.”

The camp registration deadline is Friday, July 10. For more information, go online to www.wcu.edu/fapac, or contact Lormand at (828) 227-2505 or lormand@wcu.edu. If e-mailing to register a camper, include the name of the child and parent or legal guardian, a telephone number and address. Payment is due the first day of camp.

HIGHLANDS–Two unique presentations will draw crowds to The Bascom on Saturday, June 13, as the art center presents a knit-in and a three-hour pottery demonstration.

David Stuempfle works in his studio. Stuempfle is one of three of America’s most celebrated potters who will show their throwing techniques, discuss glaze and clay formulas and share personal stories during “Pottery Making,” a three-hour bonanza at The Bascom on June 13. Photo by Tim Ayers

“Whether you are a collector, a potter or just curious, you won’t want to miss this remarkable event where you can get acquainted with highly acclaimed artists and watch them demonstrate their craft,” said Norma Smith Hendrix, The Bascom’s education director.

Three of America’s most celebrated potters will show their throwing techniques, discuss glaze and clay formulas and share personal stories about the lives of full-time ceramic artists during “Pottery Making,” a three-hour bonanza with Cynthia Bringle, Mark Hewitt and David Stuempfle. From 9 a.m. to noon that day, watch three of America’s most renowned practitioners spin and shape clay and gain insight into their secrets of creativity. Stuempfle will be showcased from 9 to 10 a.m., Bringle from 10 to 11 a.m. and Hewitt from 11 a.m. to noon. Cost is $45 ($30 for Bascom members).

Bringle is one of North Carolina’s Living Treasures, and she is the recipient of numerous awards. She shares with her audience from 40 years of dedicated studio practice. Hewitt’s work has been featured in Smithsonian magazine and on the cover of American Craft magazine. British-born Hewitt offers lively commentary on his travels to potteries all over the world. Stuempfle’s command of throwing impossibly large pots will make for an immensely educational and fascinating demonstration.

People will also be to see and purchase works from these three highly collected potters at The Bascom’s exhibition, The Three Potters: Bringle, Hewitt and Stuempfle, which runs June 13 to July 11.

Then, from 2 to 4 p.m., join fellow knitters on The Bascom’s new terrace for the free World Wide Knit In, a program for all ages and genders. Bring a folding chair along with your yarn or fiber project. Ask for help, share your expertise or just stop by be part of the fun.

The presentations will be held at The Bascom’s new campus, 323 Franklin Road, Highlands.

“June 13 will be a terrific day to visit The Bascom and attend one or both of these two fun and informative events,” Hendrix said.

Early spring greens are already coming in to tailgate markets and produce stands.

Here’s an early rundown of area tailgate markets:

Cherokee Farmers Tailgate Market
Local farmers and gardeners provide fresh local produce on a weekly basis. Look for organic and heirloom produce.
Where: Located on Acquoni Road in downtown Cherokee. From NC 19 turn onto Acquoni Road Drive. Travel about 1 mile and look for farmers market sign.
When: Fri., 10:00am-2:00pm
Contact: Tammara Cole, 828-554-6931
Open: June 1-November 11

Graham County Farmers Market
The Graham County Farmers Market sells goods that are homegrown or homemade. A wide array of local fruits, vegetables, and plants are available May-Oct.
Where: United Community Bank parking lot next to Ingles in Robbinsville.
When: Sat., 8:30am-1:00pm
Contact: Beverly Whitehead, 828-479-8788
www.smnpa.org

Cashiers Tailgate Market
First year local farmers market in Cashiers. Organic, local, fresh vegetables, fruits, baked goods, jellies, fruit pies, honey.
Where: Cashiers Community Center on Hwy 107 between Cashiers and Highlands.
When: Wed., 1:00pm-6:00 pm, Sat., 7:00am-1:00pm
Contact: Donna Few, 828-230-4785, bearfootgrandonna@yahoo.com
Open: May-October

Jackson County Farmers Market
The Jackson County Farmers Market is open from May-Oct. Located on Mill St. in downtown Sylva. We feature only locally grown produce and products. Most of our growers use organic practices.
Where: In the municipal parking lot next to Bridge Park, downtown Sylva.
When: Sat., 9:00am-noon
Contact: Susannah Patty, 828-507-1146, sylvafarmersmarket@gmail.com
Open: May 2-October 31

Franklin Tailgate Market
Selling only homegrown fruits, vegetables, herbs, cut flowers, plants, eggs, locally made cheese, trout, and honey.
Where: West Palmer Street, across the street from the old post office, between the barber shop and the antique store, Franklin.
When: Sat., 8:00am-noon
Contact: Alan Durden, 828-349-2046
Open: June 6-October 31

Swain County Tailgate Market
The Swain County Tailgate Market is located in downtown Bryson City near the Smoky Mountain Railroad,every Sat. morning. We have an array of vendors, including organic and sustainable growers of produce, plants, herbs, and honey. The market will be open from the first Sat. in Jun. until the last Sat. in Sep.
Where: On Mitchell St. in Bryson City at the parking lot of the Administration Building.
When: Sat., 8:00am-noon
Contact: 828-488-3848, christine_bredenkamp@ncsu.edu
Open: June-September

HIGHLANDS, N.C. – Hundreds of wine lovers will converge on The Bascom May 29-30 when the art center presents the third annual Collective Spirits wine festival.

Tickets are on sale now for the two-day festival, which will be the first major event to be held in The Bascom’s new $11 million, six-acre, architect-designed facility

Collective Spirits wine festival, May 29-30

Featured activities of the wine festival include grand wine tastings, silent auction, fare by local chefs, a symposium led by leading U.S. wine specialists, all capped off by a gala seated dinner on The Bascom’s new terrace, followed by a live auction of exceptional wines and special wine-related items.

All proceeds benefit The Bascom, a nonprofit visual art center.

“Highlands has the highest ratio of Wine Spectator Awards per number of restaurants than any other location,” said Donna Woods, The Bascom’s events director. “The 2009 Collective Spirits further establishes Highlands as a wine destination, and the fact that the event will be held at The Bascom’s spectacular new facility is a special bonus. It will be an amazing weekend.”

The presenting sponsor of the event is Bank of New York-Mellon. Other corporate sponsors are Harry Norman Realtors/Pat Allen and Bert Mobley, brokers; Highlands Wine & Cheese Shop; and The Laurel magazine. Highlands Wine & Cheese Shop is the official wine retailer of the event.

Tickets are $100 for the Friday Evening Wine Tasting, $225 for the Saturday Evening Wine Gala and $295 for a combination Friday-Saturday ticket.
For sponsorship, benefactor and ticket information, contact The Bascom at (828) 526-4949 or www.thebascom.org.

SYLVA-During it’s Thursday (09.18.08) meeting, Sylva’s town board declined to grant a zoning ordinance amendment for proposed high-density housing near the intersection of Yellowbird Branch and Savannah Drive.

The Residential Planned Unit Development overlay (RPUD), would’ve allowed the construction of a series of townhomes on property previously zoned R-1.

Board members Ray Lewis, Harold Hensley and Maurice Moody voted against the zoning ordinance amendment, Commissioners Stacy Knotts and Sarah Graham voted to approve. Sylva’s appointed planning board voted unanimously earlier in the year to recommend that the board approve the amendment.

At their early August meeting commissioners held a public hearing at which the developer, Cashiers-based Taurus Development Group, also made a presentation. Citizens at that hearing expressed concern about the development as a whole and a potential legal matter between a neighbor and local property owner Herb Ross. These matters were not tied specifically to the RPUD, but seemed to concern the board and may have impacted the final vote.

The vote was tabled for two successive meetings after the public hearing.

Commissioner Hensley called for Thursday’s vote before any discussion took place. Hensley, Lewis and Moody declined to elaborate on their reasons for the “no” vote, which visibly agitated Town Planning Director Jim Aust.

Ross and Taurus may re-apply in one year, and in the meantime may proceed with the single-family home aspect of the development, which meets current zoning requirements.

Ross’s current plans are to develop the 48-acre tract with 68 town homes and 51 single-family homes, ranging in price from the mid $100,000’s to the mid $300,000’s. The prospective target market is young professionals, for which there is a lack of adequate housing in the Sylva area. There is a “green” angle to the project, including best land management practices that include minimizing building footprints by clustering buildings together, and the inclusion of systems that reuse storm water. Developers also intend to take advantage of existing or proposed infrastructure, from sidewalks to water and sewer.

Aust values these “green” practices, but seems to value the larger principles at play even more. He sees the positive aspects of traditional community structure meeting 21st century needs.

“Clustering housing reduces the carbon signature, minimizes degradation of water quality and provides attainability by people in the middle income brackets,” Aust said. He went on to say that higher-density development also keeps infrastructure costs lower.

This type of development sets an example for good development, Aust said.

The Crossings development comes on the heels of an announced smaller, but in some ways similar, development on Elm Street. Sapphire developer Art Pohl received a zoning ordinance amendment to build a series of more upscale townhomes just East of the Crossings project, on Elm Street. The vote also came one month after a proposed mixed subsidized/market condominium development in upscale Highlands was scuttled in a contentious 3-2 vote.

HIGHLANDS, N.C. – Tickets are still on sale for the one-of-a-kind book of original watercolor botanicals by Rosemary Clark Stiefel, to benefit The Bascom’s capital campaign.

Stiefel has donated the original, handcrafted book containing 20 watercolor botanicals to The Bascom for a raffle fundraiser. The book, leather-bound and made in Italy, features another 30 pages of images and text about the botanicals.

Stiefel conceived the idea for the book 12 years ago, after a conversation with the late Bob Zahner and his wife, Glenda, at a Bascom art opening. The noted botanist encouraged her to paint the area’s flowers, trees and plants so they could be preserved in all their glory.

Raffle tickets are $500 each. Only 400 tickets will be sold.

In addition to a raffle ticket, every ticket purchaser will receive a gift of a giclee reproduction, suitable for framing, of a Stiefel watercolor botanical: Pitch Pine, Solomon’s Seal, Jewel Weed or Turk’s Cap Lily. The reproduction is 75 percent of the original size of the botanical appearing in the book. Giclee is a printmaking method using an ink-jet printer for photographic images of paintings to produce high-quality reproductions. Giclee reproduces on high-quality watercolor paper stock, and the end result is that a giclee reproduction looks almost like the original.

Four different images will be available, so people can buy all four images for $2,000 and have four different chances of winning.

The winner of the raffle will hold a life interest in the book, meaning they would own the book for life, with the book passing to their spouse at their death and then back to The Bascom at the spouse’s death.
Numbering priority will be assigned based on the number of tickets ordered and the timing of subscription.

All proceeds will benefit The Bascom’s Capital Campaign. The Bascom is building a six-acre art campus on Oak Street that will house a 21,000-square-foot main building, a pottery studio, a covered bridge entrance, a Nature/Sculpture Trail and more. It should be done by the end of the year.

To purchase a raffle ticket, call The Bascom at (828) 526-4949, ext. 8#, or visit www.thebascom.org.

HIGHLANDS-Though disappointed by last week’s scuttling of the Shortoff Woods affordable housing complex in pricey Highlands, the Highlands affordable housing task force will meet again on August 22, and plans to move ahead, reports Brian O’Shea in the Highlands Highlander.

Task force chairwoman Mary Ann Sloan tells O’Shea:

“As the area continues to grow, so will the need. It will become increasingly difficult to find affordable housing, and it will be more expensive to produce.”

Read our previous stories on this topic: here, here and here.

HIGHLANDS-By a 3-2 vote on Wednesday, the Highlands Board of Commissioners denied the application of the Highlands Affordable Housing Task Force for water and sewer service to its planned Shortoff Woods apartment complex near Highlands-Cashiers Hospital.

The vote effectively derails the plan for the 48-unit complex, half of which was to be subsidized and half rented under market value.

The Highlands Affordable Housing Task Force and its subsequent plans for Shortoff Woods came about in response to a perceived need for housing for mid-level professionals and retail support workers, many of whom drive many miles to work in Highlands — when they’re available at all.

Board members who voted against the plan cited the precedent of providing utility service to a for-profit entity located outside of town limits. The location, which is near the intersection of Buck Creek Rd. and Hwy. 64, is outside the town’s extra-territorial jurisdiction, and is therefore a “target” area for many types of commercial development.

The vote does not end the work of the task force, but leaves little in the way of alternatives. There isn’t much land available for such projects around the pricey southern Macon County resort town.

Complete coverage from Melody Spurney of The Highlander here.

Previous articles we’ve written here and here.

HIGHLANDS-A few weeks ago we touched on the plan by the town of Highlands to put together a complex of apartments, half of them subsidized, within city limits, to help deal with the issue of affordable housing for workers in that town.

Highlands is a resort town, located on a ridge with relatively little buildable space, and what space there is would meet few definitions of “affordable”.

The complex would be located on Highlands-Cashiers Hospital property, and is being planned as a joint effort of the Town of Highlands affordable housing task force and the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Division of Community Assistance.

This from the Highlands Highlander:

At the request of the Highlands affordable housing task force, the NCDC conducted a housing market analysis and recommended the affordable housing project. The study takes into account the market area, economy, community demographics, housing trends, comparable properties and project specific demand analysis.

The town and NCDC are working with a builder, Charlotte-based Crosland, which develops these types of projects across the United States.

Highlands town government is excited about the idea, but the jury of townspeople is still out. While it isn’t safe to say that the issue has risen to full-fledged “controversy” level, the possibility is there.

Here are some early opinions, culled from the pages of the Highlander:

The Pros

From a Highlander editorial (complete version here):

A 48-unit affordable housing complex in Highlands is a good start but no where close to meeting the demand. Our town’s teachers, police officers, nurses and shop workers deserve clean, affordable and safe places to live. If the community does not provide that, the community will not survive …

… Creating affordable housing is not akin to giving people handouts. Instead, it is creating a livable community that can support itself. Without the workers who make long daily commutes, Highlands would not be able to care for its sick, protect its streets and residents or educate its children. We must offer more to those who provide so much to our town and our quality of life.

From Highlands mayor Don Mullen’s regular column (complete version here):

The new workforce housing facility on Buck Creek Road is closer to becoming a reality. Shortoff Woods will be a quality, locally sponsored, privately owned and operated multi-family apartment property with 48 units about a tenth of a mile from the Cashiers Road.

As a blended community, 24 apartment units will be offered to the public at full market rental rates, and 24 units will be eligible for lower, affordable rental rates based upon the family’s income and the number of people in the household.

The target work force will consist of our teachers, childcare workers, police officers, town employees, healthcare professionals, retail business staff and other service providers who are essential to the quality of life in Highlands …

(Mayor Mullen went on to tout a comparable complex in Franklin as “97% Caucasian”, but we guess he’s dancin’ with the date what brung him)

From Scaly Mountain resident Richard C. Lawrence (full text here)

… Those of us who have worked on developing the Shortoff Woods development are well aware of the danger of constructing the “instant slums.” The fear of this on Shortoff Woods is baseless. The continued maintenance of the project to high standards is guaranteed, and the tenants that will occupy the project will be screened as to their ability to meet the requirements. One only has to look at the similar projects in Franklin that are several years old to see the relaxing and beautiful place to live that adds to the value of the surrounding community.

The Cons

From Highlands resident Jan Knight (full text here)

(Addressed to Mayor Mullen) Your “no brainer” for affordable housing will, in 8-10 years, evolve into another deteriorating apartment complex. The owners of these failing franchises will, rather than bear the expense of renovation and repair, sell out. The new owners will then exploit this situation to the detriment of our entire community.

The decent people who have bought into this scheme will eventually move out as their living conditions deteriorate. The surrounding community will then be at the mercy of yet another crime and drug infested area. This very scenario happens time and time again and can happen right here in Highlands.

From Highlands residents Judy and Louie Michaud, Highlands (full text here)

We would suspect that most low-income families who would live in this project do not have insurance. Will these families use our emergency room at the hospital as their first line of medical care? This “for profit” project will not contribute to the tax rolls in Highlands, yet the residents of the project will certainly put a strain on much of the town’s resources.

… where will these folks shop or dine in Highlands? As we all know, the cost of living is higher in Highlands than it is in Franklin or those other towns. And let’s not forget that we all pay a premium for the labor force that works here and commutes from other areas, because they have to drive up the mountain. We wonder … will our costs for lawn care, cleaning services and carpentry go down accordingly?

From Steve and Michelle Muraco, Highlands (full text here)

… we were absolutely astounded at the dictatorial and arrogant attitude expressed by Mayor Mullen regarding the sewer and water connection for the Shortoff Woods project. “This is going to happen.” Over confident, I’d say. It is our understanding that approval of any town issue must be approved by a majority of the Board of Commissioners.

In other words, the Mayor does not have a vote in this issue, just a very biased opinion. In our opinion, there is a direct conflict of interest with regard to the Mayor serving on the Hospital Board (from whom the property is being purchased for the project), and he is a member of the Task Force Committee, which is the committee proposing the low income affordable housing project, and he is the Mayor who is supposed to represent all the citizens of Highlands.

Mayor Mullen stated in his letter that three-fourths of Highlands’ residents support this project. We don’t know how he arrived at this figure. He didn’t ask anyone we’ve have spoken to.