Cape city comes up empty in downtown development effort

Cape Girardeau city officials came up empty in their effort to attract private development on a city-owned, downtown lot.

But officials still believe the 1.04-acre property at the northwest corner of Broadway and Main Street has great potential for future development, according to development services director Alex McElroy.

He said he is uncertain why developers did not respond to the request. "It could be the economy is really booming" and developers were busy with other projects, suggested McElroy.

City officials likely will make another request for proposals for that site later this year, he said Wednesday. "We'll probably give it a little time," he said.

The city announced in October it would accept proposals for development of the property, which serves as a parking lot.

None were received by the year-end deadline, McElroy said.

City officials said in October they hoped the space could be put to more constructive use, advancing the city's 2017 downtown strategic plan.

The plan aims to develop "high-density, compact, pedestrian-oriented shopping, office, service, entertainment and residential districts," according to the request for proposals.

In its request, the city said the downtown site "offers numerous possibilities for redevelopment which include parking, new housing, office and commercial space."

According to the city document, "the prominent corner has high traffic volume, great visibility and good access."

The request sought proposals from developers in the form of public-private partnerships or solely private plans.

McElroy said in October his office had distributed the request for proposals to a list of regional developers and discussed the site at a meeting with developers.

"They were very interested," he told the Southeast Missourian at the time.

"Some had voiced concerns about the fact that that's a prime parking area and serves a lot of people, but as we put in the proposal, the city is trying to encourage proposals which include some type of parking," McElroy said last fall.

The lot is located in a redevelopment project area that qualifies for tax-increment financing (TIF), he said.

TIF funds may be considered for the acquisition of property and for public improvements such as parking, sidewalks, accessibility and other enhancements, the city said in its request for proposals.

Under city zoning requirements for that area, a proposed development may be up to three stories high. However, developers may apply for a special-use permit to build up to five stories.

Cape Girardeau city officials have touted public-private partnerships. The city has used requests for proposals to spark economic activity.

Deputy city manager Molly Mehner said last month "the city has the property, but we don't necessarily have the means to take advantage of some of the programs out there, the tax initiatives and incentives, that the private sector can."

Mehner told B Magazine it was valuable for the city to make the request even if it did not receive a development proposal.

Lack of proposals could mean "the timing is not exactly right and maybe we need to let it sit a bit as parking, and then we'll come back to it at a later date and try again," she said.

If the city eventually receives proposals, those would be reviewed by a committee that would make a recommendation to the city council, Mehner said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641