Nominations sought for preservation award

Old Town Cape's Design Committee is seeking nominations for its annual John Boardman Excellence in Rehabilitation Award.

The award honors preservation projects within the 130-square-block district known as Old Town Cape, expanding from Water Street to West End Boulevard and from Highway 74 to North Street in downtown Cape Girardeau.

Nominated projects will be judged on community impact, degree of difficulty and the capacity in which the project is pioneering or sets an example for others. Projects must also meet the Secretary of the Interior's Standards Guidelines for Historic Preservation.

Properties for consideration must be at least 50 years old and have undergone rehabilitation within the last five years. Past award winners were Buckner Brewing Company in 2004, The Rose Bed Inn in 2006, and Renaissance Gifts in 2005.

Anyone interested in nominating a property should contact the Old Town Cape Office, 334-8085, for details and application information. The award will be announced at the Old Town Cape annual meeting.

Old Town Cape is a nationally accredited Main Street Program that works to build a downtown community that cherishes its past and is an economically viable district in which the residents of Cape Girardeau can live, work and play.

-- From staff reports