JACKSON, Wyo. — On Monday, April 21, Town Council voted to approve a 60-day stay on a demolition permit to demolish and/or relocate 22 historic structures on the Hitching Post site, located on 460 E. Broadway Ave.
The staff notes read that the Hitching Post Motel consists of historic and non-historic structures, including 32 cabins, a lodge, a pavilion, a barn and a shed.
On March 13, Teton County Historic Preservation Board (TCHPB) Organizational Management Susan Eriksen wrote a letter recommending a “90-day stay in the issuance of a demolition permit for public comment and in order for the applicant, the TCHPB and other interested parties to explore alternatives to demolition.” With the approval of the 60-day stay, demolition is allowed to begin on May 12, 60 days from the date that the TCHPB recommended the stay, per the Town’s Code.
Jackson Town Planner Paul Anthony told Buckrail that Town Council determined that a 60-day stay was sufficient “given the efforts by St. John’s Health to relocate the historic structures.” After the expiration of the 60-day stay, the applicant must make every reasonable effort to relocate the historical structures for re-use.
According to the Town, St. John’s Health intends to remove or demolish all of the existing structures on the site to make room for a new 75-unit apartment building that will provide employee housing. All of the deed-restricted Accessory Residential Units (ARUs) will be first offered to hospital employees, and if space allows, additional ARUs can be rented to any qualifying member of the workforce.
The historical cabins identified as most suitable for relocation include Cabin 1-2, Cabin 3-4, Cabin 9-10, Cabin 11-12, Cabin 14-15 and Cabin 16-17, per the staff report. The historic structures include a total of 17 cabins (built between 1945 to 1955), and a lodge building, barn and shed built in 1925. The TCHPB’s criteria for historic preservation applies to buildings that are 50 years or older, and either represent the log construction of the era or are part of the early development of tourist lodging in Jackson.
According to Jackson Building Official Kelly Sluder, five of the historic cabins, as well as the lodge, shed and barn, are dilapidated and too degraded to move.
TCHPB President Michael Stern said that a longer demolition ordinance serves as a reminder to slow down the process so buildings can be moved out of town or elsewhere.
“St. John’s should have known a request to stay would be implemented,” Stern said. “It should have been incorporated into their timeline. Right now structures end up being demolished because there isn’t a proper review process.”
On March 5, HH Land Strategies President Hal Hutchinson applied for the demolition permit to remove the structures. He said that another 30 days would only increase St. John’s costs.
“We would be appreciative if you would approve a 60-day stay,” Hutchinson said. “St. John’s has been looking to relocate these buildings for past three years. The ones we are intending to relocate are the only ones viable for relocation. An additional 30 days is not going to make a difference in reference to which buildings are viable for relocation. But it will make a difference with allowing St. John’s to get a jump start with clearing the site.”
Town Councilors shared mixed feelings in their decision to approve the 60-day stay for demolition. Mayor Arne Jorgensen expressed regret that the front lodge building wasn’t designed into another project, but he said that he was excited for the new housing units to move forward.
“This is a project that the community has worked very hard on,” Jorgensen said. “We passed the SPET to get this project moving forward. I do hope that we will think about historic preservation more holistically in the future … I think we can do better to incorporate some of these design concepts.”
Councilor Jonathan Schechter said that he also approved the shorter timeline with a heavy heart.
“Voting in favor of this cuts against valuing historic structures over homes,” Schechter said. “It tears me up to support this, but I think it’s the right thing to do.”
Councilor Kevin Regan said that a 60-day stay is appropriate in this instance.
“This is an important need in our community for health care workers,” Regan said. “A nonprofit hospital entity took great steps for three years to try to find places to put these houses. I am sensitive to not delay the construction because we desperately need housing and we desperately need healthcare. An extra 30 days here isn’t going to make a difference.”
Councilwoman Alyson Spery said that she hopes there is a better path forward for integrating the historic preservation process.
“I love structures with old bones,” Spery said. “I love old towns that have character. In Jackson, we don’t have much of that here, so it is painful to see these structures go. But I do have respect for the applicant who has worked with Shacks on Racks for the past three years to preserve what could be preserved.”
