The Williams-Baldwin Teacher Campus
A Home for Educators
By Benjamin Rickert, Communications Department
“Preparing students for their tomorrow” is deeply woven into the fabric
of everything we do in Buncombe County Schools. This is why continuing
to recruit and retain the highest quality teachers is a key consideration
year after year. Living in beautiful Western North Carolina certainly
has its perks- with its lush valleys, hidden waterfalls, and rich culture.
The quality of life is undeniable, and as our region flourishes, regularly
adding new neighbors to our communities in the greater Asheville area
and surrounding Buncombe County, the reality is that for some it can
be a challenge to find an affordable, long-term place to call home.
The Williams-Baldwin Teacher Campus aims to give some relief to
those who teach our children. The unique project is a partnership
between BCS, Asheville City Schools, Eblen Charities’ Center for Social
Enterprise, Buncombe County, and the State Employees’ Credit Union
Foundation (SECUF). The campus is named for the legendary UNC
basketball coach and former Charles D. Owen High coach Roy Williams
and his wife Wanda, along with two former local teachers, Roy Eugene
“Buddy” Baldwin and Rosa Lee Case Baldwin.
The 24-unit complex is located on Erwin Hills Road near Eblen
Intermediate school and will offer 18 units for County teachers and
6 units for City teachers. The starting cost for a 1,100 square foot, 2
bedroom, 2 bathroom unit will be $915/month, and this becomes even
more manageable for teachers with a roommate or working partner.
For comparison, the median two bedroom rental cost in the Asheville
area was $1,180/month in 2016- a 7.6% increase over 2015- and in
January, Asheville overtook Charlotte as the costliest city for rent in
North Carolina.
The construction of the two, three-story buildings will cost about $2.5
million. To keep additional costs low, SECUF is providing a loan without
interest, and Eblen will pay only $1 per year to Buncombe County to
lease the property. When the loan is paid off, the apartments will help
fund Eblen programs that benefit local schools, teachers, and students
in need.
When completed in the Spring of 2017, the Williams-Baldwin Teacher
Campus will provide an innovative and practical means of attracting
and retaining the most talented educators to Buncombe County.
For more information, BCS teachers may contact Cynthia Lopez at
828-232-4233.
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