Biltmore Village restaurant faces extensive rebuild after Helene flooding brought ceiling-high water

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The owners of the Corner Kitchen in Biltmore Village, a neighborhood in Asheville, North Carolina, are working to put the pieces back together after the restaurant was devastated by Hurricane Helene’s flooding.  Kevin Westmoreland, co-owner of Corner Kitchen, said floodwaters were “almost to the ceiling in the first floor.” The damage was so significant that it’s taking weeks to even get the building to a stage where they can rebuild. “The first floor had to be gutted completely,” he said. “We’ll start rebuilding probably in a couple weeks. We won’t probably be open for 4-6 months.” BILTMORE ESTATE PLANS TO REOPEN NEXT MONTH AFTER HELENE’S DEVASTATION IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINAWhile none of their 115 employees were injured during the storm, all who worked at the Corner Kitchen and another restaurant called Chestnut had to be laid off, Westmoreland said.He and his co-owners started a GoFundMe to help their employees with the devastating losses incurred during Helene. As of Tuesday, the site had raised over $60,000.Westmoreland said Chestnut, located in downtown Asheville, wasn’t damaged by the floods. However, it remains closed because the building doesn’t have potable water. “As soon as we get potable water, that restaurant will reopen. We have staff waiting,” he said. “We’re looking to reopen about the 11th of November.” But Chestnut’s reopening could be delayed if they don’t have water by then, he said. HELENE RUINS FALL LEAF-PEEPING SEASON FOR MOST OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINAIt’s not the first time the Corner Kitchen has flooded, according to Westmoreland. The restaurant also flooded in 2004. Back then, they received small business assistance from the government. Westmoreland said they’ve applied for assistance again, but it can’t come fast enough. “In ’04 it helped us survive,” he said. “It helped us live and move forward until now, and we look forward to the SBA helping us again.” Westmoreland said the Corner Kitchen also had flood insurance, which will also help them rebuild.