Renovation of a museum in Asheville, North Carolina. Completed plans call for the renovation of a museum.

As of June 14, 2022, the project is complete. *The original solicitation is listed below for reference. --- It is the intent of the Parks and Recreation Department to contract with an architectural/engineering/interior design firm for professional design services. The successful team should be able to demonstrate a background in civic and/or cultural facility design. Any firm wishing to be considered must be properly registered and licensed within the state of North Carolina and have a good ethical and professional standing. The City of Asheville’s Stephens-Lee Recreation Center is located on the former site of one of the most prestigious African-American high schools in western North Carolina. The original Stephens-Lee academic building, also known as the “Castle on the Hill”, was demolished in the 1970s, but the old gymnasium was purchased by the City’s Parks and Recreation department and has since been used as a community center. The current building houses the Stephens-Lee Alumni Associations’ documents, yearbooks, photographs and other memorabilia in a room dedicated to the group. The City of Asheville Parks and Recreation department, together with the Stephens-Lee Alumni Association, worked with a local planning firm to complete an initial concept to honor the “Castle on the Hill”. This interior gateway is slated to be the first phase of a larger Stephens-Lee Alumni Museum project. The selected team will work from the initial gateway concept to refine the design, produce construction documentation and cost estimates and provide bidding assistance and construction observation. The total project budget for construction is $100,000. *This project has been updated for historical data and reference purposes. The information has been provided as it was received and confirmed.