Construction begins on new federal courthouse in Cape

Business Today

Construction has begun on a new $49.3 million federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau that city officials say will have a positive effect on the downtown area, just as the impressive new Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge is having.

Mayor Jay Knudtson said the project is "another major anchor" for the river city's downtown.

With the adjacent City Hall, the area on Independence Street will become a government complex.

The contractor, PCL Construction of Denver, moved construction trailers onto the site in January and began initial site work.

Foundation work started in February, and construction could be completed by December 2005, federal officials said.

The new four-story courthouse, located west of City Hall at Independence and Frederick, is scheduled to open in April 2006.

Knudston said the new courthouse will help revitalize the neighborhood. "Properties in the past that might not have been well maintained, all of a sudden they are either being sold or improved," he said.

Federal officials said the 154,000-square-foot courthouse will include three courtrooms and 24 indoor parking spaces. A surface lot will provide 120 parking spaces.

The main entrance will be on the northeast corner of the building and will feature a four-story atrium topped by a domed roof.

A roundabout will allow traffic to flow to the courthouse property or to the parking lot behind City Hall.

The new building will house the 97 employees of the federal court and other related government agencies.

Jim Ogden, the deputy regional administrator for the federal General Services Administration in Kansas City, said the new courthouse is designed to withstand a terrorist attack. Security will be much improved over the existing Federal Building on Broadway, he said.

Ogden said the GSA hasn't decided what it will do with the 36-year-old Federal Building at 339 Broadway. The government could use it for nonjudicial federal offices. The offices of U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Cape Girardeau, and U.S. Sens. Kit Bond and Jim Talent of Missouri are housed there.