JACKSON HOLE, WYO – Town officials are toying with the idea of closing off streets around the Town Square during some of the busiest tourist-season weeks in order to promote a more pedestrian-friendly, outdoor market vibe.
The Town Square Pedestrian Zone Pilot Project for summer 2018 was discussed this afternoon during a town workshop after the idea first came up during the town’s retreat back in February.
The notion of what would essentially be a Farmers Market on steroids is referred to by town leaders as a form of “placemaking”—describing a collaborative process of collectively reimagining and activating public spaces for people, and shaping the public realm in order to maximize shared value.
That’s a mouthful simply recognizing that Town Square is Jackson’s major tourism draw and can be described as the “heart of the heart of town.” As such, the area is sentimentally treasured for its architecture, scale, and general character.
The vision for the town square is addressed in the 2012 Comprehensive Plan, identifying downtown as…“the historic center of Jackson Hole and the central gathering space for residents and visitors alike…and plays an important role in defining our community’s western heritage and overall community identity.”
The stated goals of the Comp Plan concerning Town Square functioning in an ideal manner include:
- have visitors and residents visit the area more often and stay longer, increasing the vitality of the area and supporting the local economy.
- create great public spaces and amenities for residents and visitors alike.
- create a positive visitor experience that supports our local economy [and] continues the tradition of the Town Square as the gathering place for our community.
- host a variety of events and community celebrations for residents and visitors.
- encourage the temporary closure of streets, parking lots, parks and other public spaces to support such events.
- the community should consider the temporary and permanent closure of some streets to vehicles in order to create a vibrant pedestrian environment.
Tapping into this with a vibrant and walkable market-type atmosphere could have benefits for many including brick-and-mortar business already on the square, other retailers and nonprofits looking for an enhanced presence, as well as providing a value-added visitor and local experience that could include amenities like:
- Picnic tables
Farmers Market is cited as one example of a partial street closure on the square that appears to work for all. (Farmers Market) - Café tables and chairs
- Planters with flowers, shrubs, small trees
- Public art
- Bike racks, parklets
- Food trucks and/or tents
- Little library
As well as activities that keep people engaged like:
- Music entertainment (both informal and scheduled performances)
- Entertainment for kids (and adults) such as face painting
- Games
Farmer’s and/or People’s Market - Dance, plays, or other performances
- Arts and crafts activities
- Senior activities
- Shootout
Pathways director Brian Schilling proposed a minimum trial period of nine days, up to a two-week period. He suggested late July or August as the best time.
Public feedback
Public comment included negative reactions from three local business on the square.
Greg Fulton, owner of Astoria Fine Art, said his business is on the front lines of what was being proposed. He called the “trial and error” pilot project “too risky.”
“Parking is already a known problem and these are the best paring spaces in town,” Fulton said regarding some 50 parking spaces that could be eliminated by the closure of Center and Deloney, for instance. “I wonder whether this is even worth trying.”
David Navaratil, director of operations at Mountain Trails Gallery echoed concerns about parking even though he admitted that gallery had unique concerns because they own their own lot. He mentioned parking poaching and egress headaches caused by events like the Shootout.
“The number one issue downtown is parking, parking, parking,” he said. “I have major clients that tell me they won’t come downtown in the summer because of traffic and the lack of parking.”
Even Jim Darwiche, who is practically the unofficial ambassador of the town square, had reservations. The longtime businessman owns businesses on or near the square and even launched Farmers Market on the square in an attempt to enhance the vibrancy of the heart of downtown.
Still, Darwiche said he has traveled the world looking for a rival to Jackson’s town square and has yet to find one. “I’ve spent a lifetime on the town square. That’s my home and I dream about it every night,” he said. “There are some very small things we could do to improve it but not a lot.”
Darwiche asked the council to consider including all the “smart business people on the square who will be affected” before making any decisions.
Anna Olson, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, said her group has down some initial outreach to business and would very much like to be a partner and bridge to the business community in moving forward to get as many of them to the table as possible.
How they voted
Councilman Don Frank appeared most apprehensive about the project, saying he wasn’t opposed to it necessarily but questioned the timing (“Why would we do this during the busiest time of the year when existing businesses rely on parking to operate?” he questioned) and the end game (I see it as the first step to permanently closing one or two streets of the town square to parking,” he observed).
“If we were to consider it during the shoulder season or off-season when it might help those merchants on the square, I might be more amenable to it,” Frank said. “But [July and August] is not the time to spin the chamber on an economic revolver to see if this will work or not.”
Bob Lenz, a longtime businessman himself, also had concerns for local brick-and-mortar retailers who need the precious months of July and August to pay the bills.
“It might work. I don’t know until we try it and I’m willing to try it,” Lenz said, “but the bottom line is if it affects [negatively] the way the registers ring around the square, it doesn’t thrill me too much.”
Town manager Bob McLaurin quelled some concerns by interjecting that, while the town is not a retailer per se, it is heavily dependent on sales tax revenue.
“We don’t believe this would have an adverse impact,” McLaurin said. “We are not here to hurt business. We are here to help business.”
Schilling agreed, “One of the primary goals would be to increase commerce in this downtown area.”
Councilman Jim Stanford alluded to many cities in Europe on a scale with Jackson Hole as far as visitation that find a way to make pedestrian access a priority. “I’m open to giving people more room to linger,” he said.
Mayor Pete Muldoon had initially directed Schilling to explore July and August only because they would be months most likely to have the bodies needed downtown to gauge the economic impact of a street closure market-type idea. Muldoon conceded maybe September would work as well as a bit less frenzied and more likely to attract locals.
Muldoon wanted to at least explore what the pilot project might bring but only if extensive outreach was done with any businesses that might be affected.
Finally, Frank said he would vote to explore options but wanted it clear that he still want sure what the ultimate goal was.
“Placemaking may enhance things like vibrancy but it does not change the menu of services available on the town square,” he said.
The council voted 4-0, with Hailey Morton Levinson absent, to instruct staff to begin to work out the details of what a temporary town square pedestrian zone might look like, and to begin outreach to the business community on their thoughts and concerns.
Schilling agreed outreach would be the most critical part of the process moving forward. He strongly recommended the council also consider using an outside firm with experience in organizing placemaking events especially since town staff is already pressed for time during the busy summer months.
