JACKSON, Wyo. — In a four-to-one vote, with Councilor Jonathan Schechter opposed, Town Council approved Mogul’s sketch plan for the largest development project ever proposed in the Town of Jackson on Monday, June 16.
According to the staff report, the Mogul sketch plan proposes breaking up the condominium development into five separate buildings along North Cache St. The property would comprise approximately 190,000 square feet (sf) of habitable mixed-use space, including 109 hotel rooms, 17 market long-term residential units (2:1 Bonus), 16 deed-restricted units (2:1 Bonus), 155 parking spaces, a spa and fitness center, a restaurant and bar and two rooftop decks.
During the special meeting, Councilors approved relocating Mogul property’s deed-restricted units offsite to the Loop Luxury Apartments in exchange for the allowance of more market rate units at the Mogul Hotel. The applicant for the Mogul project also owns the Loop apartments.
Town Planner Paul Anthony told Buckrail that Mogul’s 16 deed-restricted units would be relocated to the Loop, increasing the square footage of the deed-restricted housing from 27,840 square feet (sf) to approximately 40,000 sf. According to the Town, 25% the deed-restricted units would be designation as affordable housing and 75% would be workforce housing.
Anthony said that the housing transfer would create almost 54,000 sf worth of market rate units at the North Cache site. Additionally, there would be approximately 80,000 sf of market housing in Building A on the Glenwood side.
The sketch plan addresses an extensive list of development-related issues including site design, the public alley, parking, traffic, environmental impacts, vehicular access, pedestrian improvements, lighting, landscaping, trash removal, snow storage, bicycle parking and affordable and workforce housing, per the staff report.
During public comment on April 21, a main concern of the community was the benzene plume located underneath the northern portion of the site. Based on the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) geotechnical analysis, the benzene plume should not be dug up or disturbed during construction. The project would be constructed aboveground, over the contaminated soil, in an effort to not disturb the former Exon site, per staff notes. The DEQ stated that “much of the benzene has been remediated or dissipated, however, any remaining contaminated soil would need to be disposed of properly per State requirements during the redevelopment of the site.”
According to Anthony, the applicant can now apply for a Development Plan, which would include final review from the Design Review Committee.
