The Flat Iron Hotel has revitalized Asheville’s iconic Flat Iron building, transforming the 1927 landmark into a 71-room boutique hotel. This adaptive reuse project, which opened on May 15th, 2024, preserves the building’s historical significance while catering to modern travelers.

Inspired by the “Lost Generation” of the 1920s, the hotel aims to capture Asheville’s prohibition-era allure, appealing to today’s creative nomads. Its prime location at the intersection of Battery Park and Wall Street puts guests within walking distance of the Grove Arcade, top-notch dining and entertainment venues, as well as providing convenient access to the Biltmore Estate and Blue Ridge mountain trails.

Flat Iron Building’s History in Broadcasting

Because of the two 100-foot antennas atop the tall Flat Iron building where Asheville’s  first radio station, WWNC, was located, the city made its mark on radio history. With this broad reach, WWNC sent out the distinctive sounds of Appalachian music to locations around the country and, when atmospheric conditions were right (helped along by the high mountain elevation), as far away as Australia!

In the days before FM became widespread, WWNC was sometimes the most popular station in the United States with an Arbitron share of over 40 percent of the listening audience, sometimes as high as 50 percent.