The Wyoming State Legislature held a Joint Appropriation’s Committee meeting in Cheyenne on Jan. 12. Rep. Jon Conrad (HD-19), Evanston Historic Preservation Commission Chair Jim Davis and freshman Evanston City Councilman Jesse Lind were in attendance to ask the state to consider delaying the demolition of the original Wyoming State Hospital buildings by a year.

Conrad began by mentioning the construction of a pre-fabricated steel storage building costing $3.4 million, budgeted by the Wyoming Department of Health, which would be used to facilitate the July 2024 demolition.

“Respectfully, I am acutely aware of the energy, the time, the history of what has led to this present plan of demolition,” Conrad said, before imploring the committee for more time to be presented with alternative plans by the city of Evanston and Uinta County.

“In Evanston, we have a pretty good track record of being able to rehab buildings,” said Davis of the Roundhouse and Railyards, Depot Square, and the Strand Theatre. “We’re confident with the experience we’ve had in rehabbing historic buildings.”

Davis stated that the State Hospital buildings are in “much better shape” than the previously-mentioned restored structures.

Councilman Lind said “I respectfully request the committee deny authorization of the $3.4 million from the Wyoming State Hospital demo account fund,” in addition to delaying the demolition an additional year.  Lind said he hoped the committee would “instead direct to the Department of Health to work with the City of Evanston and the local economic development group to develop an RFP [request for proposal] for a feasible reuse and rehabilitation plan that could provide affordable housing for nurses, or spaces for new businesses in the southwest corner of Wyoming.”

Lind cited the impending TerraPower nuclear facility in Kemmerer, and the incoming off-track betting facility.

“We’re going to need housing ... these supplemental businesses could build off of these other businesses,” he said.

“Southwest Wyoming has been economically deprived,” Lind continued. “We need economic development.  These buildings could be a part of those other projects that are going on.  I would love it if you would consider it for a year, to see what we could do with these buildings.”

Conrad later told the Herald that he continues to feel optimistic, and he’ll continue to “look for a viable opportunity to engage the Department of Health that enables the city and/or county to pursue private investment as opposed to being demolished forever.”  He said he’ll revisit the line-item issue with his House colleagues during next month’s legislative budget session beginning Feb. 12.