20 Merchant St, Asheville, NC 28803

About This Property

This is a rare opportunity to secure the last of three premium plots in the center of Asheville’s Oakley neighborhood — a walkable community steeped in local history. The land and street carry the name of their original owner, L. L. Merchant, known for constructing Asheville’s tallest Gothic Revival building, The Jackson, in 1924. Designed with two anti-erosion terraces and a newly constructed rear retaining wall, this primed parcel is ready for your architectural vision. Direct connections are in place for natural gas, electricity, cable, city recycling, hydrant access, public works, and dedicated frontage for a city-installed sidewalk, meaning you can break ground without delay. In addition to the infrastructure, the land is already alive. Mature ten-year-old fruit trees — including Asian plum, apricot, and muscadine vine — produce thousands of pieces of fruit each season, making this not just a lot, but an urban orchard. The RS8 zoning unlocks extraordinary building potential that sets this lot apart from virtually anything else on the Asheville market. At 2,100 feet elevation with unrestricted views, a primary structure can rise to a full 40 feet — tall enough for a rooftop deck to capture panoramic views of Asheville’s iconic mountain sunsets over Mount Pisgah and the Blue Ridge. Better still, modern zoning also permits a separate Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) up to 25 feet tall, allowing an 800-square-foot guest house — flexibility that dramatically amplifies the investment value. A perfect location seals the case. Just one mile from Biltmore Village, Whole Foods, and Asheville Mall, and a five-minute walk to Oakley Park’s tennis and pickleball courts, the public library, and Oakley Elementary — and only one minute from the fire and police departments — 20 Merchant Street places you in one of the city’s most convenient and community-rooted neighborhoods. Contact me today and let’s make your dream home a reality.