The Yancey County Resource Center is slated to begin construction in the coming weeks. It will be the culmination of a partnership between Yancey County government, Yancey EDC, and Appalachian State University’s IDEX Lab program which began in spring of 2020. The new facility will serve as the permanent home of the Yancey Farmers Market as well a community vendor market, meeting venue and resource center for the community.
The project began with Appalachian students working throughout 2020 with local stakeholders including the county and town governments, Yancey EDC, the Yancey Farmers Market, and other groups to put together an initial design for the new facility. In the spring of 2021 that design was refined into a set of construction drawings and initial permitting, including zoning approval by the Town of Burnsville. With the design and permitting phase completed, Yancey County is ready to move forward with students from Appalachian to commence construction on the new facility this summer.
As is illustrated in the accompanying architectural renderings (below), the facility is composed of a large open vendor pavilion, a two-story structure along West Main Street which houses office and meeting space, a demonstration kitchen and concession area and public restrooms, as well as outdoor green space.
As is currently planned, upon the completion of grading and site prep, construction of the vendor pavilion will occur first and is scheduled to be completed in the summer. Construction of the building along West Main Street will begin in the fall, providing a new permanent home for the Yancey Farmers Market for the 2022 season as well as an event venue, resource center, and vendor market for other events throughout the year.
All the project partners are excited to see construction finally begin on a project which will enhance the community and the continued development of West Main Street in the Town of Burnsville.
This construction project is totally grant funded, having been supported by funding from grants received by Yancey County EDC through the Dogwood Health Trust and The Yancey Fund to fund the design process and a Community Development Block Grant to fund the construction of the facility received by Yancey County government from the NC Department of Commerce.
