LUDLOW, Vt. – The Divided Sky Foundation, established by Phish front man Trey Anastasio, has purchased the former Green Mountain at Fox Run building with plans for a nonprofit substance use treatment facility.
The foundation has a scheduled meeting with the Development Review Board in April to obtain town approval for the project, although the town is waiting for a final site plan document before they can proceed.
According to a Divided Sky representative, they are working on the final deliverables, including the site plan, and will deliver them to the Ludlow town office by the March 12 deadline, in order to make their April meeting.
Despite the notoriety of the Divided Sky’s founder, Ludlow’s Municipal Manager Scott Murphy expects continued pushback from the town. A prior DRB meeting lasted three hours as many citizens aired their concerns about rehab facility. “The DRB will judge the application on its own merits and see if it meets with town regulations,” he said.
Anastasio battled his own addiction in the past, which led to the breakup of Phish in 2004. After spending more than a year in rehab, Anastasio reunited with his other Phish band mates and returned to the stage in 2009.
In the fall of 2020, Anastasio performed an acoustic eight-week residency of virtual concerts called the “Beacon Jams,” at the Beacon Theater in NYC, to help raise money for the Divided Sky Foundation and the Fox Run purchase.
In a statement released earlier this week, Anastasio thanked everyone for the support of Beacon Jams and donations to Divided Sky Foundation. “It means so much to me, and it’s going to mean so much to the individuals and families that will benefit from this treatment center.”