Report finds potentially hazardous conditions at Black Mountain public safety building

Town council moves forward with core sampling, as ‘significant investment’ needed to address deferred maintenance, structural deficiencies

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
March 10, 2026

The Black Mountain Public Safety will require “significant investment” to address deferred maintenance and structural deficiencies, according to a report shared, March 9, with the town council. Photo by Fred McCormick

A report detailing the findings of a comprehensive study of the Black Mountain’s public safety building, occupied by the town’s police and fire departments, determined the facility at 106 Montreat Road will require “significant investment” to address deferred maintenance and structural deficiencies. 

The information was shared with elected officials, March 9, in the regular monthly meeting of the town council. 

Conducted by Mosely Architects, contracted by Asheville-based engineering firm McGill Associates, the study of the building, in use since its construction in 1987, included a facility condition assessment, during which a team of architects and engineers performed a comprehensive visual evaluation of the facility’s components and systems. The process also involved the prioritization of observed deficiencies and the development of a capital improvement plan for replacement and renewal projects. 

The submitted report included a Facility Condition Index, calculating a ratio that classified the 12,000-square-foot structure with a rating of “high priority.”

“With a FCI (score) of 0.77, or a ‘high-priority’ rating, significant capital investment will be required to improve the facility and assure both the building and systems will continue to serve the Town and staff,” the report stated. 

The total estimated cost of deferred maintenance is approximately $2.2 million, according to the findings, which cited Buncombe County’s 2021 appraised replacement value of the building at $1.2 million. 

A complete understanding of the overall structural integrity of the facility remains undetermined, according to Kevin McDade, a representative of Mosely who presented the report to the town council. 

“We assessed everything, from the floor finishes, the roof, the walls, the plumbing and mechanical systems,” said the architect, who, last December, conducted the visual assessment with three engineers. “But, more importantly, we also assessed what we could see with the structural systems.”

While the observers did not have copies of the building plans, he added, deficiencies were apparent. 

“What we could see is that there are issues,” he said. “There is something happening to that building. We don’t necessarily know what, we would need further active investigations.”

McDade identified structural concerns on the exterior and interior of the public safety building. 

“If you get up close you can see the walls bowing and if you go to the back side you can see there are some gaps in the brick, where the brick has settled,” he said. “Inside, there are cracks in the floor and active flooding in the basement, which is apparently coming through the retaining wall, and not a good sign.”

The group recommended the town hire a geotechnical firm to extract core samples from the soil beneath the facility, providing additional information related to observed structural issues. 

“That would give us a sampling of what’s happening underneath the building, to see if there is there is dirt there,” McDade said. “It is not uncommon with buildings, especially older buildings, for the soil to be compacted, recede or wash away and the floor slab could be suspended.”

The fire station, on the western side of the building, sits on a slab-on-grade foundation, while the police department is above a basement level. The fire department facility demonstrates the majority of floor settling indicators, according to the architect. 

Interim town manager Richard Hicks asked the presenters if a determination was made regarding the overall safety of the building. 

“If you’re going to ask me, point blank, if the building is safe, my professional is no,” he said. “Something is actively happening to it. When is it going to fall down? I can not answer that; I do not know. But, I would not recommend being in the building, especially if there is a natural disaster event coming up.”

The assessed condition necessitates a temporary solution to house the departments currently occupying the facility, he added. 

The FCI score assigned to the public safety building was higher than 0.30, which represents a facility in critical condition.     

“That really makes it essential that we address this in the near future,” Councilmember Pam King said. “So, that would mean that boring is the next step, and also finding alternative locations for our staff.”

The town council, in a unanimous vote, approved a motion to authorize Hicks to sign an agreement authorizing a geotechnical firm to perform soil testing around and underneath the facility.

“Let’s keep this moving forward,” King said. “It’s really important.”