Cape County votes to raze former juvenile facility, sell property

Cape Girardeau County commissioners voted Thursday to raze the former juvenile-detention facility in Cape Girardeau and sell the two-acre site.

The building at 325 Merriwether St. ceased to house juvenile offenders in 2011.

It then was used as a juvenile-assessment center. It also housed some juvenile offices and offender programs, said Randy Rhodes, chief juvenile officer for the 32nd Judicial Circuit.

Some of the former detention cells were used for storage, Rhodes said.

Second District Associate Commissioner Charles Herbst said the building has stood vacant since the opening of a larger juvenile center last fall at another location in Cape Girardeau.

Commissioners decided it would be best to tear down the aging structure rather than try to sell it.

Furnishings in the building, including cabinets and steel doors, already have been sold to the highest bidders, Herbst said.

The county has garnered some $6,400 from the sale of furnishings, according to Eric McGowen, who handles the sale of surplus property for the county government.

Herbst said county crews will demolish the building within the next few months.

The Merriwether Street facility opened in 1974. It housed offices and 10 detention rooms.

The former juvenile detention facility is seen Thursday.Laura Simon ~ Southeast Missourian

It was converted into a detention-only facility in the early 1990s, and juvenile offices were moved into the Common Pleas Courthouse Annex building in Cape Girardeau.

Use of the building to house juvenile officers ended in December 2011 as a result of state budget cuts.

Juvenile offices continued to be housed at the Common Pleas Annex and the building on Merriwether Street until the new juvenile center opened.

The new center at 2137 Rust Ave. does not house juvenile offenders.

As has been the case for the past five years, juvenile offenders who need to be detained are housed at detention facilities in Mississippi and Stoddard counties.

The Merriwether Street property borders Cape Girardeau’s Indian Park. Herbst said he has discussed the availability of the property with city manager Scott Meyer.

The former juvenile detention facility is seen Thursday.Laura Simon ~ Southeast Missourian

But Meyer said the city has not offered to buy it. He said he agreed with the county commission’s decision to put the property up for sale and “see what offers they get.”

While the property could allow for expansion of Indian Park, Meyer said city officials would be more interested in the site if the county were looking to donate the land.

But Herbst said the County Commission wants to sell the property.

“The county is not going to give it away,” he said.

Some of the property already is being used as part of Indian Park.

A section of land behind the former juvenile facility contains two former tennis courts.

The city installed the tennis courts after the county agreed in 1974 to allow that piece of the property to be used for park purposes.

The tennis courts later were converted into basketball courts.

Meyer said city officials “might be interested” in retaining the courts for public use.

“They still get some use,” he said.

But Meyer said Indian Park still could serve the neighborhood even if the public no longer would have access to the courts.

“I think we would be fine without it,” he said.

Meyer said the Merriwether Street tract might have value as a site for a new home or business.

“It might make sense for a community garden at this point,” he said.

The city has plans to extend Fountain Street from William Street to Independence Street within the next four years.

Meyer and Herbst said there is sufficient room along the former railroad route that borders the property to accommodate the street extension. Meyer said the city does not need any of the county land for the street work.

mbliss@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641

Pertinent address:

325 Merriwether St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.

2137 Rust Ave., Cape Girardeau, Mo.