JACKSON, Wyo. — With Councilor Jonathan Schechter taking over as Mayor Pro Tempore, Town Council unanimously approved the development plan for the proposed Browse ‘N Buy mercantile expansion project on Monday, Aug. 4. Mayor Arne Jorgensen recused himself from the discussion and vote due to his involvement as the building’s architect.
The campus of St. John’s Episcopal Church is 2.4 acres and fronts three streets: N. Cache Street to the east, W. Gill Avenue to the north and N. Glenwood Street to the west. The new two-story building would be constructed on the church’s property, at 139 N. Cache Street and 170 N. Glenwood Street.
Staff notes state that the approximately 22,000-square-foot (sf) commercial and residential mixed-use building is proposed to house more than just the Browse ‘N Buy retail store. The development plan also includes basement storage, retail space, offices, two on-site deed restricted Accessory Residential Units (ARUs), a childcare facility and shared floor areas for community partners. The expansion — not including the exempt floor area of the deed restricted ARUs — represents a 49% increase in total habitable floor area of the entire St. John’s campus, accommodating Browse ‘N Buy, the Jackson Cupboard/One22 Resource Center and the Recovery Community.
The existing Browse ‘N Buy structure, which is approximately 5,000 sf and located at the southeast corner of the St. John’s campus, would be demolished. According to staff notes, the Browse ‘N Buy store will relocate into a temporary, smaller building to allow for continued donations and retail sales until the new building is constructed. Additional site work would include reconstruction of pedestrian frontages and boardwalk surfaces, modifications to the off-street parking facility and the construction of a screening wall, consisting of concrete pillars and wooden slats to reduce the visual impact of the existing parking lot accessed from N. Glenwood Street.
The Reverend Jimmy Bartz, who serves as the Rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church, shared the importance of Browse ‘N Buy in the community.
“You don’t have to live long in Jackson Hole before you find Browse ‘N Buy, where people in our community can access low cost and high quality clothing and housewares,” Bartz said. “But what most people don’t realize is that Browse ‘N Buy functions for St. John’s more like a foundation … it operates under the umbrella of the church.”
Bartz told Town Council that Browse ‘N Buy generates approximately $1 million a year in income, with approximately 50% of the yearly proceeds donated to work in the community.
According to Bartz, the new Browse ‘N Buy space would be approximately three times the size of the current store, potentially leading to an increase of $1 million given back to the community annually. Bartz added that these figures are conservative.
Bartz noted that the new facility would also provide additional space for those needing mental health support.
“I stand before you to say that this is a very loving project across our community, all the way to the Wind River Reservation and down to Cuba and Colombia,” Bartz said.
Jorgensen Associates Planning Manager Brendan Schulte explained the layout of the building’s design. Schulte said that the basement will accommodate a kids room, a portion of the mercantile and a storage room. He said that the first floor will house the largest portion of the retail store, along with the Jackson Cupboard and a “significantly expanded” space for sorting items to allow for the acceptance of more donations. On the second floor there would be another portion of the store, additional space for sorting and the two ARUs.
“With the extra square footage we don’t expect staff to expand, but staff will be able to work more efficiently,” Schulte said.
During public comment, One22 Resource Center Executive Director Sharel Lund said that the Jackson Cupboard will finally have a permanent home after moving around over the years, including being situated on a sidewalk and in a garage.
“Food is a comfort we all understand and no one should go without it,” Lund said. “The Cupboard can provided fresh fruit, meat, eggs, canned and pantry items, diapers and much more. We keep going because the access to essential food is more important than ever.”
Sadek Darwiche, Owner and General Manager of Hotel Jackson, expressed his support of the project but was concerned with the construction schedule.
“As a neighbor, the only key concern of ours is the construction management plan,” Darwiche said. “We should look at start and end times. I don’t want 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. construction times because this could impact our business and guests.”
Town Manager Tyler Sinclair assured Town Council that the applicant is “very aware” and willing to work with neighbors during construction.
Town Council members expressed their support of the new community facility. Councilor Kevin Regan said that as Jackson continues to evolve, redevelopment is an opportunity for great community impact. Councilwoman Alyson Spery said as a current “browse ‘n buyer” and former One22 staff member that she is excited to see the expansion. Schechter added that there’s “no other institution in Jackson Hole that walks the talk like St. John’s.”
In a three-to-one vote, with Schechter opposing, Town Council also approved the applicant’s fee waiver request.
