Buncombe County begins work on first standalone EMS station in Swannanoa
A $10 million EMS station is rising beside Owen Pool in Swannanoa, with county leaders expecting faster ambulance coverage by February 2027.
Buncombe County is building its first standalone EMS station at 750 Old U.S. 70 in Swannanoa. The roughly $10 million EMS East facility is slated to open in February 2027 on county-owned land in front of Owen Pool.
The building is planned at 12,214 square feet with three double-loaded bays that can hold up to six emergency vehicles. The station will be staffed and operational around the clock, with room for two paramedics, one ambulance, a community paramedic unit and one EMS supervisor. Plans also call for bedrooms, a kitchen, a day room, storage for medical supplies and equipment, and an exhaust-protection system.
The 2023 countywide EMS study found a coverage gap between the Reynolds and Black Mountain stations, with slower response times into the Swannanoa Valley. It was meant to determine whether EMS stations were in the right places and to strengthen the county’s emergency medical system. The new station is intended to improve coverage for Swannanoa, Black Mountain, Bee Tree and East Asheville, while also helping the county add more units during weather emergencies and other large incidents. Buncombe County accepted a construction bid from Carolina Specialties Construction in October 2025, moving the project from planning into buildout. EMS East is the first standalone EMS building ever built by Buncombe County.
Buncombe County’s 2043 Comprehensive Plan, adopted in 2023, identified the Swannanoa corridor as an area needing more detailed planning. Hurricane Helene increased the need for a Swannanoa growth and recovery plan. County officials have also planned public information sessions so residents can meet EMS staff and learn more about the facility as construction continues.
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