Town council approves 60-day historic-preservation stay for demolition at East Broadway hospital site

The Jackson Town Council voted unanimously to approve a 60‑day stay on demolition and relocation of historic structures at the St. John’s Health project on East Broadway, with the stay scheduled to end May 11, 2025.

The stay, authorized after a motion by Councilman Schechter and seconded by Councilman Regan, prevents the applicant from relocating or demolishing the buildings that are identified as historic while the preservation review proceeds. Paul Lantz, the town’s planning and building director, told council the revised request from the applicant narrowed the scope to a 60‑day stay (ending May 11) rather than an earlier 90‑day option and that the stay period begins on the date of the Teton County Historic Preservation Board’s recommendation rather than the council meeting date.

A representative for St. John’s Health (identified in the record as Hutchinson) said the health system has sought relocation options for several years and had narrowed which structures are viable for relocation. Hutchinson asked the council to grant the 60‑day stay, saying additional 30 days would not materially change relocation prospects and that longer delays would increase project costs and impede employee housing construction tied to the hospital project.

Members of the Teton County Historic Preservation Board urged improvements to how demolition reviews are integrated into the building permit and pre‑application process so applicants better understand the preservation review timeline and to strengthen coordination on relocations. Board president Michael Stern and vice chair David Gannenberg told council their board is available for consultation and recommended quarterly reporting to the council on preservation activities.

Council discussion acknowledged the limitations of the demolition review tool but generally supported using it as one mechanism to slow demolition and create opportunity for relocation or other preservation outcomes. Multiple council members — including Mayor R.M. Jorgensen, who commented as both mayor and an architect — said they supported the 60‑day stay while urging better, earlier coordination between applicants, planning staff and the preservation board.

Motion and vote: Councilman Schechter moved to approve a 60‑day stay ending May 11, 2025, for the demolition/relocation permit for the East Broadway site; Councilman Regan seconded. The motion passed unanimously (ayes recorded). The staff report described the application as DEM‑25‑001 and showed the site and revised relocation plan submitted by the applicant.

Context: The council and preservation board noted the town’s demolition ordinance and its historic‑preservation review process have slowed demolitions in the past and sometimes enabled relocation of structures out of town or to county locations. Several preservation board members urged the town to better integrate demolition review at pre‑application stages and to adopt a comprehensive preservation plan to make the ordinance more effective. Councilmembers and staff emphasized applicants should anticipate the preservation review period in multi‑year project planning.

What the council did not decide: The council did not adopt changes to the demolition ordinance at this meeting; it approved only the requested 60‑day stay for the East Broadway application.

Ending: The council’s approval preserves a defined set of historic structures for the 60‑day period while St. John’s Health, the Teton County Historic Preservation Board, the town and state agencies continue to coordinate options for relocation, remediation and project sequencing.