Asheville Mayor Says Costco May Reconsider Withdrawn Exit 44 Proposal

Mayor Esther Manheimer told city officials March 5 that there are “good indicators” Costco may reconsider a withdrawn proposal to build a roughly 160,000-square-foot warehouse, fueling station and tire center at 264 Enka Heritage Parkway in the Exit 44 area. Manheimer wrote a March 5 letter to Costco’s development team that said the March 2 meeting with the property sellers, North Carolina Department of Transportation staff and Asheville planning staff was “productive and solution-oriented” and that the city sees “a viable path forward.” She added in the letter, “I respectfully ask that Costco reconsider its withdrawal and allow us the opportunity to re-engage directly. I stand ready to again meet with your team at your earliest convenience to review next steps and confirm a coordinated path forward.”

Costco withdrew its application in February, with the company citing added site and off-site requirements that increased scope, timeline and costs; city officials report the formal withdrawal date as Feb. 17. Project filings list the proposed building at about 160,000 square feet, with one project document showing 160,940 square feet, a tire center, a fueling area reportedly with 32 pumps, and more than 830 parking spaces, figures city staff and developers have circulated during project review. Local estimates put potential job creation at roughly 300 positions.

The most immediate barrier identified is transportation. A North Carolina Department of Transportation traffic study released in late 2025 found the Costco plan would add nearly 16,000 motorists daily at I-40 Exit 44, increasing traffic in an area that already sees more than 29,000 motorists per day. NCDOT representatives warned a 55 percent jump could cause vehicles to back up onto the interstate and said some off-site improvements would fall to the developer. City leaders say those NCDOT-mandated corridor upgrades, including changes to Smokey Park Highway and Sardis Road, substantially increased the project’s projected costs and timeline.

Manheimer and city staff are proposing to reduce Costco’s infrastructure burden. The mayor suggested the city will seek additional NCDOT funding for the Exit 44 project and will apply for a North Carolina Department of Commerce grant to extend sewer service to the site, a sewer extension that has been estimated at about $850,000. Manheimer also reached out to NCDOT Board Chair Anthony Lathrop asking the agency to reconsider road requirements. “We’ve assembled responses to all of Costco’s items,” Manheimer said, noting planning staff provided a letter and DOT would supply information “just to try to ask Costco to come back to the table.”

The Enka Commerce Park site, owned by Enka Samet, LLC and Fletcher Partners, Inc., was previously approved in 2021 for an Amazon warehouse that later fell apart after similar site concerns. City Council member Kim Roney pointed to stormwater issues and berm construction as recurring problems that affected the earlier proposal. Business observers say Costco has sought an Asheville-area store for about two decades and typically needs 25 to 30 acres of flat or gradable land near an interstate, meaning alternative Buncombe sites remain possible.

Several local actors signaled a mix of frustration and incentive-seeking: the Economic Development Coalition deferred comment to Assistant City Manager Ben Woody, observers discussed using recovery funds to offset road costs, and city leaders are awaiting any formal response from Costco. For now Manheimer cautioned, “I don't want everyone to assume this is a done deal. I'm working as hard as I can to get everyone together and really all the partners are quite eager to see this happen,” while acknowledging that nothing is final until Costco returns to the table. The city will proceed with grant applications and follow-up meetings as it seeks to pin down cost allocations and a timetable.