UNC Health has gone all in on one of Asheville’s most visible retail hubs, acquiring the Westgate Shopping Center and moving to plant a major hospital near the Patton Avenue corridor. The system has applied to the state for permission to open a 92-bed acute-care hospital that would bring emergency, intensive-care and obstetric services to the area, a shift that could displace longtime Westgate businesses and reshape the stretch of I-240 and Patton Avenue that anchors West Asheville.
According to property records reported by WUNC, the parcels were transferred for nearly $20 million, while the Triangle Business Journal described the move as part of roughly a $22 million land transaction in the area.
Plans and Permit Filings
UNC Health has filed a Certificate of Need application to build a 92-bed acute-care hospital it calls UNC Health West, outlining services including an emergency department, intensive care unit and labor-and-delivery, according to North Carolina Health News. The filing says UNC holds letters of intent on roughly 21.5 acres of adjoining parcels for the proposed campus.
Alan Wolf, UNC Health’s director of media relations, told North Carolina Health News, "We think there should be more choice in that region." UNC officials say the hospital would serve patients across Buncombe and surrounding counties and would be developed in partnership with UNC Health Pardee.
Competition and Regulatory Hurdles
Last year the state awarded 95 beds to Mission Hospital and 34 to Novant, decisions that prompted appeals by UNC and AdventHealth and underscore the regulatory hurdles ahead, per BPR. Even with land tied up, UNC still needs Certificate of Need approval and could face litigation or administrative challenges before construction can begin.
Local Reaction and Tenants
Business owners at Westgate say they were informed of a sale and are weighing lease options as the project moves through permitting, according to Asheville's 828 News NOW. That outlet also noted UNC’s news release did not explicitly confirm ownership of the shopping center.
What’s Next
A hearing on the current Certificate of Need applications is scheduled for August, with a final ruling expected in December, according to 6AMCity. Asheville's 828 News NOW quoted UNC Health CEO Dr. Cristy Page saying "our goal is to grow along with them to ensure increased access to care," and reported that UNC would develop only one acute-care hospital in Buncombe County if approved through the appeal or 2026 review process.
Commercial reporting indicates the buildout could be large in scale: CoStar reported UNC Health seeks permission to develop a nearly $750 million healthcare facility on the site. Officials have not released a demolition or construction timeline, and local leaders say they will track permitting and community impacts as filings move through review.
