Block Saved

The Jackson Hole Land Trust together with the Save the Block partners have closed on the real estate deal that will permanently protect the historic buildings, community greenspace, and unique character of the Van Vleck Block on East Broadway. The Save the Block project was announced in April 2019, out of concern about a proposed three-story, 90,000 square foot hotel planned for the property. In January 2019, the contract between the property seller, entities owned by Max Chapman and John Tozzi, and the proposed hotel expired. It was at that point that a local family, in partnership with the Jackson Hole Land Trust, entered into a new contract with the intent to safeguard the block while buying the community time to raise funds for the preservation. In April, the Land Trust presented the community with the first in a series of donor challenges; to receive 100 gifts in one day to secure a $100-thousand challenge gift. The second challenge became “Million Dollar May” in which an anonymous family challenged the community to provide 1,000 gifts of any size to secure a $1-million contribution. The next community challenge was to reach $4-million by July 4th. Then, with just over one month to complete the fundraising, the “Last Chance, Last Challenge” drive was launched in which the community was asked to bring the total number of campaign gifts to 5,000 and reach the $7-million fundraising goal by August 9th. With the money in hand last Friday, the purchase of the block was closed by an anonymous family and the recording of the greenspace easement held by the Jackson Hole Land Trust on a portion of the block. Upon the transfer and easing of the land, both the history and future of the block have been protected

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