Located in the heart of downtown Asheville, the Garage Apartments project consists of 27 residential units, five live-work townhomes and one 750 square foot commercial space. A project of local developer Public Interest Projects, the Garage Apartments can claim the first living roof in the downtown.

Completed in summer 2017, it is an infill project located behind the Aloft Hotel. The roof of the apartment building is at the same level as the hotel swimming pool and provides a beautiful landscape (rather than a barren roof) for hotel guests to gaze upon.

The living roof also demonstrates how even a small roof can make a big impact on the ecological health of a city. The new plantings are the first step in developing a dynamic urban community that supports native pollinator populations, reduces heat island effect and allows the rain that falls at this spot to infiltrate and evapotranspire more like it would in nature.

The Garage Apartments plantings were designed to support native plants in a very intentional way, creating a pocket of beauty in an unexpected place. Plant material includes a diverse mix of native perennials, grasses, and herbs.