by Lauren Jackson | Feb 5, 2026 | Shelter Campaign
The team at Beverly-Grant continues to make steady progress, with several major building systems now in place and others moving toward completion.
Work is underway to install insulation over the stair towers, which is an important step before the siding can be added. Windows are nearly finished throughout the building, and crews have begun sealing them to protect against weather. The remaining windows in the stairwells will be installed last, which is typical for this stage of construction.
Inside the residential portion of the building, all plumbing waste piping has been installed, inspected, and approved. Installation of copper water lines is now in progress, which will supply water to the apartments. Heating and cooling work is also moving forward, with HVAC venting and ductwork currently being installed.
The central staircases are fully complete, providing permanent access throughout the building. On the exterior, installation of fascia and soffit (the finished edges and undersides of the roofline) is underway, giving the building a more complete appearance. Spray foam insulation has been installed along the building perimeter and throughout the first- and second-floor residential corridors, and this work has passed inspection.
by Lauren Jackson | Dec 12, 2025 | Shelter Campaign
The team at Beverly-Grant continues to make huge progress on the shelter. Inside, the plumbing is moving forward with the rough-in work, and the electricians are laying out where outlets, switches, and fixtures will go and drilling the pathways needed for wiring.
On the exterior, the crew is working on the roof structure. They’re installing the sub-fascia and adding the sheathing to the trusses, which helps tie the roof system together and prepares it for the next phases of construction. Once this work is complete, the team will begin building the interior stairways.
by Lauren Jackson | Nov 24, 2025 | Shelter Campaign
The team at Beverly-Grant has made a lot of exciting progress recently. The structural framing for the residential side of the building is now complete, and crews have begun putting up the interior walls that divide the individual units. Work on the exterior sheathing is also underway — this is an important step that helps protect the building from the elements as we move toward “drying in,” or sealing the structure from weather. Plumbing rough-in began on 11/12, and we expect windows to arrive within the next week to week and a half. Once they’re here, the team will wrap the openings and install the windows so the building can be fully closed in. Electrical rough-in is scheduled to start in the second week of December, depending on how quickly the building is dried in.
by Lauren Jackson | Nov 3, 2025 | Shelter Campaign
Exciting progress continues at the future site of Joy’s House! Recent work has focused on completing foundational preparations and beginning the structural framing of the building.
Crews have finished the underground plumbing and electrical work and installed the natural gas line that will connect to the building’s generator. After carefully marking the foundation and setting the base supports, framing began in earnest.
The residential portion of the building is now coming to life—framing and flooring for both the first and second levels are complete. The office area has also reached the same milestone, with its framing, floor trusses, and sheathing finished.
Each step brings us closer to opening the doors of Joy’s House, a safe, welcoming space that will double our shelter capacity and provide comfort and dignity to survivors of domestic violence in our community.
Stay tuned for more updates as construction continues!
by Lauren Jackson | Oct 1, 2025 | Shelter Campaign
Progress on our new shelter is moving steadily forward! In September, the elevator shaft was finished, and the plumbing and electrical work that goes beneath the foundation was wrapped up. The underground connections for the electrical transformer and generator were also completed, with the team waiting on final equipment specifications. By the end of September, the concrete foundation was poured, creating a solid base for the building. The site is now prepared for the electrical transformer to be delivered, and the most exciting step yet is just around the corner: the walls will begin rising next week, and the shelter will truly start to take shape.
by Lauren Jackson | Aug 12, 2025 | Shelter Campaign
Construction on our new shelter is moving along steadily, and exciting progress is being made. The base layer of the parking lot is now complete, offering the first sense of how the site will come together. Exterior stairs have been finished along the retaining wall, and crews are installing the underground electrical and communication lines that will power the building. A safety fence is being added at the top of the retaining wall, while drainage systems around the foundation are now in place to protect the shelter from heavy rains. Insulation has been installed around the building’s base to boost energy efficiency, and the elevator area, stair towers, and lower walls have been filled and reinforced. Work is progressing on the north stair tower, and the fully powered job trailer on site is serving as the hub for our construction team.
by Lauren Jackson | Jun 5, 2025 | Shelter Campaign
Construction is coming along on the build site for Joy’s House. The team at Beverly Grant Construction recently put permanent fencing above the soil nail walls, meaning 85% of the fencing for the entire shelter is complete. They are now working on the segmental wall for the front of the shelter building, but that process has been slowed by rain. The team has made substantial progress on installing the water lines and anticipates having them complete in the near future. Grass has been sown on the site to prevent erosion. The construction team is about to start digging out the building pad and under-slab conduits and are currently obtaining estimates for the solar panels. The site work should be largely completed and the building construction underway by late July/early August. The Shelter Interiors Committee has selected flooring colors and types and are in conversation about the ideal layout for the kitchen.
Unfortunately, due to the heavy rains and the discovery of more rock, construction is now scheduled to wrap up in mid-June 2026.
by Lauren Jackson | May 1, 2025 | Shelter Campaign
The construction team at Beverly Grant is hard at work on the new shelter. Within the next week they anticipate finishing the soil nail walls and pouring more concrete into the deep foundation. This is a big milestone in the project and means we are getting closer to vertical construction, which is projected for late July. Already, a driveway has been cut in, stormwater retention systems have begun to be installed, sewer lines have been laid and the parking area retaining walls have been built. The construction team recently increased the size of the water lines to ensure adequate flow for the new sprinkler system. Construction is predicted to be finished by June 2026.
by Lauren Jackson | Apr 22, 2025 | Shelter Campaign
Since the groundbreaking, the construction team has cleared all the land needed to build the shelter and cut in a driveway. All of the construction plans have been submitted and approved by the City of Asheville for permitting purposes. They have blasted away some large deposits of rock, which has allowed for the construction team to lay sewer lines and begin the creating storm water infrastructure. The soil nail walls have been installed, which enabled the start of the retaining wall construction. Helpmate is in the midst of planning for a decorative wall to accompany the children’s playground. Although, fortunately, the site was not damaged by Hurricane Helene, it altered the construction schedule and completion of the shelter is now projected for early Summer of 2026.
by Helpmate Admin | Apr 16, 2024 | Shelter Campaign
Pictured above, L-R: Allen Peele, Beverly-Grant Construction; Donna Ensley, Campaign Chair; Ginny Raviotta, Board Chair; April Burgess-Johnson, Executive Director; Jerry Sternberg, Philanthropist; Graham Reynolds, Board Chair Elect; Bonnie Spradling, Immediate Past Board Chair; Carleton Collins, Carleton Collins Architecture. Photo credit: Kevin Long
Helpmate, the nonprofit organization that has provided safety, shelter, and support to survivors of domestic violence in Buncombe County since 1978, broke ground for a new, larger emergency shelter at a ceremony on April 16.
The new facility will more than double the number of beds available for emergency shelter to 43 and will be built on property that is adjacent to the current emergency shelter.
Representatives from The Dogwood Health Trust, The City of Asheville, and Buncombe County, who made early and generous funding commitments to the project, joined members of Helpmate’s Board of Directors, staff members, site and building project personnel and donors for the ceremony. Other major funding partners include the NC Housing Finance Agency, The NC Human Trafficking Commission, The Leon Levine Foundation, and Jerry and Marlene Sternberg.
For nearly a decade the need for emergency shelter among survivors of domestic violence in Buncombe County has exceeded the capacity of the organization’s current shelter. The facility has 20 beds and serves about 150 families annually. Another 300 families contact Helpmate each year seeking shelter. When all beds are full, Helpmate works with survivors to find safe shelter, often in a nearby county. 91% of survivors who reside in Helpmate’s current shelter fall into the “extreme risk” category on a Danger Assessment, which measures homicide risk.
The 23,000 square foot safe and secure building that is planned will provide 25 private sleeping spaces of varying sizes that can accommodate individuals or up to three members of a family, shared spaces including indoor and outdoor play and learning spaces for children, multiple small kitchens, a dining area, and support group meeting rooms. Onsite 24-hour staff support, a dedicated counseling center and a free market for obtaining essentials such as toiletries and diapers will also be available.
“This is a significant day for our community and for our ability to provide life-saving emergency shelter for survivors of domestic violence when they are the most vulnerable,” said April Burgess-Johnson, Executive Director of Helpmate. “Today in North Carolina, Buncombe County has the second highest per capita rate of people who are not able to be sheltered in their home community due to our limited capacity. The organizations and individuals that have come together understand that we must have more emergency shelter space to protect and serve residents.”
Construction is scheduled to begin in May and is anticipated to be completed in the summer of 2025. To date, $12 million in funding commitments have been made towards the estimated project cost of $15.375 million.
“The design of the new shelter reflects what we’ve learned from working with survivors for decades,”
said Joy Henderson, who has served as the Shelter Director for nearly 30 years. “Individual and family suites with kitchenettes will keep family members together and will support privacy while also supporting meaningful connections. Everything about the new shelter is designed to support safety and healing, and it’s exciting to know that our community is coming together to create it.”
Over the past eight years the organization evaluated options for the new shelter including expanding the current shelter and considering various other properties and locations. The chosen location offers many benefits including being on the bus line and close to medical, legal, and other support services that are essential for victims of domestic violence.
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