Greetings from Montreat as we bring you an update on a cold December day! Last week, we hosted 150 guests for a traditional Thanksgiving lunch at Assembly Inn, the latest sign of progress in our efforts to return to normal programming here at the Montreat Conference Center.
Earlier last month we passed an even more important milestone, hosting the Mountain Retreat Association’s Board of Directors. The circumstances, of course, made it an exceptional meeting – the first overnight event at Assembly Inn that had been scheduled prior to Hurricane Helene. Our goal was to deliver a customary, high standard of hospitality for this relatively small group of volunteers, which would require staff members to adjust to facility challenges – significant portions of Assembly Inn remain under renovation – and navigate an emotional transition toward something resembling our normal duties. Fortunately, the meeting went smoothly, and the fact that our staff and Assembly Inn both performed with flying colors was a milestone worth celebrating.
Held over three days beginning November 17, the meeting kicked off with morning worship for both Monday and Tuesday sessions. Through the years, board members have continually identified the importance of worship in shaping its discernment and centering members on God’s presence, purposes, and priorities. In the wake of the past two months, this worship seemed especially meaningful in light of the challenges faced in Montreat, the losses in our region, and the ways that God does and will act to support recovery.
Monday’s agenda continued with a summary of Hurricane Helene. Staff members reported on the status of our campus and how the experience may shape our plans for upcoming work. We also celebrated some staff milestones. I will mention in particular Jane Bannerman, who is retiring at the end of the year after 41 years of service on our staff. (For context, I can’t get over the fact that Jane began her tenure as a member of summer staff in 1983 and never left – I was a member of that summer staff!) In appreciation of all staff, the board drafted and passed a resolution of gratitude dedicated to the staff of the Montreat Conference Center for their faithful response in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
The Board also spent significant time considering next steps on the new lodge in Montreat. Over the past two months, we’ve received questions about how Hurricane Helene and its aftermath may affect our plans. At the meeting, the board held two executive sessions to discuss the lodge and consider the status of the special use permit (SUP) granted by the Town of Montreat that remains a matter before the North Carolina Court of Appeals. (A decision is expected in that appeal over the next two months or so.) Discussion also included an update on the condition of the three structures that remain on the intended site of the project – Galax Lodge, Chestnut Lodge, and Lord Apartments. Concluding that discussion, the following motion was made, seconded, and passed unanimously:
The MRA Board authorizes the staff to apply for a permit for the demolition of the three lodges on the proposed site and directs that demolition take place at the earliest appropriate time.
Though not included in the motion itself, board members cited two principal reasons for taking this action:
- The proposed site will be developed for the conference center’s mission and ministry. The site was an underutilized resource for many years, making it an ideal location for upgrading Montreat’s lodging and meeting facilities. That conclusion, originally made by the MRA Board in 2020, was endorsed by the action of the current board.
- The current condition of the buildings necessitates their demolition. The three buildings have not been occupied since the summer of 2022. They were emptied of useful materials and furnishings in the spring of 2023 and utilities were disconnected. Since then, the buildings’ condition has continued to deteriorate, a progression recently exacerbated by the effects of Hurricane Helene. Board members expressed legitimate concern that the buildings, if left standing, will soon become a life-safety and liability risk.
As background, the conference center paid its architects to conduct a review of these lodges in the summer of 2021. The goal of that effort was to determine whether a plan proposed by the site’s immediate neighbors that included the lodges’ renovation would accomplish the conference center’s goals for lodging and meeting space. The study concluded that renovating the lodges would be an inefficient use of the property and would limit our goals for accessibility and accommodations. Renovation of the lodges would also require the elimination of underground parking, requiring 30 additional parking spaces above ground to meet the current code. More on the conclusions of this study can be found here.
In the board’s discussion, it was noted that, while the current injunction prohibiting our use of the SUP keeps us from proceeding with the new lodge, other activities for which a SUP is not required are not prohibited. Demolition requires a separate permit, but it is not a “development action for which the special use permit that is the subject of this case would be required” (quoting directly from Superior Court Judge Peter Knight).
For years the question of the old lodges’ demolition has been a question not of “if” but “when.” The board’s action in November answered that question. As to a more specific timeline, board members expressed hope that the site can be cleared well before the next summer season. The board also affirmed that development of the new lodge will not take place while litigation over the SUP is pending before the Court of Appeals.
Several board members also urged that new building plans incorporate lessons we have learned from Hurricane Helene. While Assembly Inn sustained extensive damage, had the building been disabled for use during early recovery efforts, the loss to the conference center and town operations would have been felt significantly. Plans moving forward for new construction – including the new lodge – should strengthen the conference center’s resiliency and ability to support operations in times of emergency.
Overall, the board’s action affirmed its determination to develop the property, adjusting as necessary to the judgment of the courts and the relevant codes of the Town of Montreat. As always, we will keep you informed as we go.
In summary, the board meeting represented both one more sign of progress of recovery and an emphatic signal that the conference center’s ministry depends always on looking to the future even as we attend to present challenges. As Thanksgiving passed last week, I found myself filled with gratitude for the service of our board, and for all who have lifted Montreat with prayers, work, and financial support these last two months. Your ability to act both compassionately and decisively provides the stability and a shared vision of hope that we need, now and always. Thanks be to God for you and yours – and more to come! | 
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