It’s our job to help you stay educated in all Asheville happenings – from festivals, new brews, city development and beyond – we bring you the deets. If you’re curious about something, ask us + we’ll find out the answer. A series we like to call Asked + Answered.

Last week, the once-free gravel parking lot located across from Vortex Doughnuts, Catawba Brewing Co. + Buxton Hall BBQ, became a paid lot at .75 cents an hour, for up to 4 hours, 24/7.

Asked: So what's up with the lot now?

➡️ Take a deep breath + keep reading. Here’s the 411 on this Banks Ave. parking lot.
If you park downtown, then you are aware of Asheville’s Passport App + cash options as methods of payment. The 32 Banks Ave. lotuses a Parkmobile App. (Not the normal Passport App used downtown at the meters).

To answer, this lot is not owned by the City of Asheville (who uses the Passport App). There are two main private companies who alsoown and/or manage Asheville's lots – a Charlotte-based company, Preferred Parking which currently owns + operates 11 local lots, and McLaurin who owns several lots in downtown, Biltmore Village + West Asheville. Additionally, businesses or other smaller companies can own a lot (like, where their building is).

Break it down for me:paved paradise put up a parking lot, or park it like its hot?

City lots are owned by the City of Asheville. The city offers metered spaces, parking decks + a handful of lots in downtown + off of Haywood in West Asheville.
All of these city-owned locations accept Passport (the app or the website) as well as coins and many accept cash + card.
McLaurin offers the same methods of payment as the City of Asheville (Passport app, pay by phone, coins, cash + card). Preferred Parking offers the Parkmobile App and pay by phone only.
Additional nifty knowledge… lots owned by the City of Asheville are required to stay maintained + follow the city ordinance parking standards (however, McLaurin said they also follow those standards to make parking easier).
A gravel parking lot can stay a gravel parking lot as longs as it has never been previously paved.
And just a quick fun fact: City of Asheville offers free parkingon Sundays, New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day + more. Full list here. Told you, we’ve got your back.