Comments sought on new Forest Service building proposal
by Bridger-Teton National Forest
October 9, 2008
(Jackson) – The Bridger-Teton National Forest is looking for comments from the public on a proposal to sell not more than 11-acres of administrative land in downtown Jackson, Wyoming. The proceeds from this sale would be used to finance a new administrative building for the Jackson Ranger District and the Supervisor’s Office built on the remaining acreage off of North Cache Street. Additionally, the Forest would construct some housing on a portion of the 80-acre administrative site on Nelson Drive and on the 12-acre Cottonwood administrative site off of Fall Creek Road. The Forest is also proposing to relocate the warehouse, and fire cache buildings to the Cottonwood site. Comments on the proposal will be due November 14, 2008.
The purpose of this proposal is to reduce facility building maintenance and lease costs by constructing new accessible and energy efficient facilities on existing administrative sites already owned by the Forest. The proposal also seeks to improve the housing situation for employees by constructing additional rental units at the Nelson and Cottonwood administrative sites. The Forest will use the Forest Service Facility Realignment and Enhancement Act (FSFREA) to sell the property and utilize the revenues for the new construction and maintenance. The need for this action is driven by the fact that the facilities are over forty years old and by the difficulty for employees to find affordable housing in the Jackson area. Public benefits and services have decreased as maintenance costs have increased over the years. Currently the Jackson District Office is not open to the public, employees are scattered over the entire administrative site, and the office facilities are not energy efficient. The office and associated facilities are outdated and do not meet many building and accessibility codes such as the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Employee recruitment and retention is expected to become more challenging in the near future due to retirements and employee movement. The additional housing proposed with help mitigate this situation.
The proposal and associated maps are available on the Bridger-Teton website at www.fs.fed.us/r4/btnf/projects. Anyone with questions on the proposal can call the Supervisor’s Office at 307-739-5500.
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