SWANNANOA, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Demolition is underway at the former Ingles Markets site in Swannanoa, where damaged buildings are being torn down months after Tropical Storm Helene flooded the property and forced the grocery store’s permanent closure.

Crews have begun removing the Ingles gas station and other structures on the U.S. Highway 70 property, including the strip building that previously housed a post office and Ace Hardware. Photos and updates shared this week in a Swannanoa community Facebook group showed active demolition at the site.

Ingles Markets has submitted plans to Buncombe County to rebuild at the location, proposing a 95,391-square-foot store at 2317 U.S. 70. The plans, filed Sept. 9, call for demolishing storm-damaged buildings to make way for new construction. The proposed store would be significantly larger than the former 65,542-square-foot location.

The company has said earlier closures in the region following Helene were tied to storm-related facility damage and connectivity issues that affected operations.

Some residents say the loss of the Ingles has made it harder to access groceries locally. One member of a Swannanoa community group wrote that the store’s closure has contributed to concerns about a potential food desert.

In the meantime, other food and retail options have begun to return. Rite Buy Grocery opened in December in the Beacon Village area, offering fresh food and local products. In September, Peter and Beth Ballhaussen, owners of Town Hardware and General Store in Black Mountain, announced plans to open a hardware store in Swannanoa at 119 Alexander Place.

Mail service has also been disrupted since the storm. Buncombe County Commissioner Jennifer Horton said the U.S. Postal Service has identified two potential locations for a new Swannanoa post office and is reviewing them, though no final site has been selected.

It remains unclear when construction on a new Ingles store could begin or when a replacement store might open.