Asheville unveils Fire Station 9 design for Oakley public safety complex
Oakley’s new Fire Station 9 would move to 711 Fairview Road, replacing a 1960s-era station and freeing the old site for police use.
Asheville has unveiled the latest design concept for a new Fire Station 9 in Oakley, a project that would reshape two aging public safety sites on Fairview Road and give East Asheville a more modern base for fire and police operations.
The new station is planned for 711 Fairview Road, on the site now occupied by the Asheville Police Department’s Oakley Resource Center. Under the city’s two-phase plan for the Oakley Public Safety Complex, the existing Fire Station 9 at 749 Fairview Road would then be renovated into the new East Asheville Police Resource Center, moving the two agencies into buildings better suited to their work.
For Oakley residents, the change would replace a 1960s-era fire station with a facility designed around current emergency needs. City council minutes describe the present Fire Station 9 as a 1960s-era building, while the Oakley Resource Center opened in October 2010 as a 2,500-square-foot satellite station serving the Baker District. The city says the project is meant to improve local fire and police operations and enhance public safety in East Asheville, not just refresh an old building.
The design work is being done by ADW Architects and is funded by Asheville’s 2024 general obligation bond package, which voters approved in November 2024. City material says the bond referendum totaled $80 million overall, and 2025 updates showed bond-funded public safety projects starting up, including Oakley design work. The city also says a 2023 Comprehensive Facility Study identified the Oakley complex as a high-priority capital investment need and was intended to guide long-range planning for city buildings.
That study and feedback from city firefighters and community members helped shape the design now moving forward. Asheville Fire Department officials have also framed the project within ongoing service-level review and best-practice planning, reflecting a broader effort to match East Asheville’s facilities with how emergency response works today. The new station would be the first of two phases in the Oakley Public Safety Complex, with construction currently slated for 2027 through 2028 after design work is finalized in late 2026.
The second phase could bring its own neighborhood impact. The Murphy-Oakley Community Center, which remains an active Asheville Parks & Recreation facility next to Murphy-Oakley Park, would be renovated for police use. For now, the design release gives Oakley a clearer picture of how city leaders intend to reorganize public safety service in a part of Asheville that has been identified for upgraded infrastructure and long-term investment.
This article was produced by Prism’s automated news system from verified source data, official records, and press releases, then run through automated quality and moderation checks before publishing. The system is built and supervised by the people who set the standards it runs under. Read our full AI policy.
Did this article answer your question?
