Last September, Hurricane Helene wrought destruction throughout western North Carolina, as the Category 4 storm ripped across the landscape with wind speeds of up to 140 mph and more than 14 inches of rainfall. Asheville, N.C., the historic mountain community and longtime haven for live music and the jam scene, was left isolated by hundreds of closed roads, preventing incoming aid and repairs to critical infrastructure. “We have biblical devastation through the county,” said Ryan Cole, Assistant Director of Buncombe County Emergency Services. “We’ve had biblical flooding here.” Early estimated damages in the region totaled between $15 billion and $100 billion.

As the region continues on the long road to recovery, local music hotspot SoundSpace@Rabbit’s has launched a fundraiser to repair damages from the storm. SoundSpace is a multi-media studio space, recording facility and future soul food cafe founded by Asheville-based multidisciplinary creatives Brett Spivey and Claude Coleman Jr., who spent 30 years as the drummer for Ween, set in the historically Black district of Asheville’s Southside. Housed in Rabbit’s Motel, the Black-owned tourist court dating back to 1947, SoundSpace’s mission is to honor Asheville’s Black history by carrying the mantle of artistic tradition and providing a community hub and industry resource for local creatives.

That mission has been imperiled by Helene, which brought landslides and a dangerous drop-off within a foot of the building. While the historic landmark avoided major visible damage, the foundation beneath it was compromised and remains at high risk for structural damage with continued soil erosion. After many months of assessing the situation and searching for a path forward, the founders are now seeking support to construct a necessary retaining wall, replace and regrade soil and secure geotechnical engineer plans.

“About nine months now after the disaster of Helene, the area and the region are still in a state of recovery, and still very much in a state of trauma, having experienced terrible loss, damage, destruction and displacement,” Coleman said. “The damage that we took on from Helene is a major threat to our existence. It’s a threat to the building, it’s a threat to the resources and support for the community and the industry–it’s endangering our recovery.”

Donations to SoundSpace@Rabbit’s will directly impact the future of Asheville’s artistic community, Black entrepreneurship and historical preservation. As 80% of the city’s River Arts District was destroyed by Helene, with more than 250 artist studios and venues lost, the space’s mission is more vital now than ever before. Support rebuilding at SoundSpace@Rabbit’s here.