Proposed Ridge Line Apartments Raise Concerns Near Historic Asheville Estate

The Blue Ridge Parkway and a family's generational connection to the land are at risk with a new development plan.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 9:08am

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An extremely abstracted, out-of-focus photograph of a wooded mountain ridge at sunset, with soft pools of warm orange and pink light filtering through the trees, conceptually representing the peaceful natural setting that may be impacted by the proposed development.The tranquil beauty of the Round Top estate and its surrounding ridgeline may soon be disrupted by a proposed 305-unit apartment complex near the Blue Ridge Parkway.Asheville Today

A ridge line owned by Biltmore Farms LLC next to the Blue Ridge Parkway and a historic family summer home has been proposed to become 305 apartments. The project has raised concerns from the family about potential impacts to their property and the essence of the iconic parkway.

Why it matters

The proposed apartments would be one of the few developments directly adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway, a beloved national treasure that generates over $1.5 billion in annual visitor spending. The project also threatens a historic family estate that dates back to the 1800s and is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.

The details

Biltmore Farms, a community development firm run by descendants of George Vanderbilt, has proposed the 305-unit apartment complex on a ridge line near the Blue Ridge Parkway. The project would then be developed by The Carroll Companies, a Greensboro-based real estate firm. While Biltmore Farms says they are simply selling the property, the family that owns the historic Round Top estate nearby is concerned about potential impacts like increased runoff and diminished views of the parkway.

  • In 2017, the property was surveyed and found eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.
  • On April 8, 2026, the Buncombe County Board of Adjustment held a hearing on the project proposal but continued it to the May meeting.
  • The Board will allow new applications in the May meeting, giving the Sumer family and other neighbors a chance to apply for standing to participate.

The players

Biltmore Farms LLC

A community development firm run by descendants of George Vanderbilt, the builder of the iconic Biltmore Estate in Asheville.

The Carroll Companies

A Greensboro-based real estate firm that would develop the proposed 305-unit apartment complex if the project is approved.

Adem Sumer

The great-grandson of Horace and Emmie Phillips, who developed the historic Round Top estate in the mid-1920s. Sumer is concerned about the potential impacts of the proposed development on his family's property.

Blue Ridge Parkway

A 469-mile scenic byway that generated $1.5 billion in visitor spending and welcomed 16.5 million guests in 2025, making it the most-visited national park unit in the country.

Buncombe County Board of Adjustment

The local governing body that is reviewing the proposal for the 305-unit apartment complex near the Blue Ridge Parkway.

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What they’re saying

“I'll be the old guy on the mountain that never sells. When you get older, you want to be in a little happy place.”

— Adem Sumer, Great-grandson of Horace and Emmie Phillips

“Round Top will be visible from so many parts of Asheville, especially the Blue Ridge Parkway.”

— Adem Sumer, Great-grandson of Horace and Emmie Phillips

“The proposed project will preserve a landscape buffer along the parcel's perimeter that will maintain as much existing vegetation as feasible as well as be supplemented by proposed vegetation to reduce the effects of noise, vibration, odor and glare.”

— The Carroll Companies

What’s next

The Buncombe County Board of Adjustment will continue its hearing on the proposed 305-unit apartment complex at its May meeting, allowing the Sumer family and other concerned neighbors to apply for standing to participate in the review process.

The takeaway

This proposed development near the historic Round Top estate and the iconic Blue Ridge Parkway highlights the ongoing tension between preserving the region's natural and cultural heritage and meeting the demand for new housing. The outcome of this case will set an important precedent for how development is balanced with conservation in Asheville's scenic mountain landscape.