Cape Girardeau County Commission votes to purchase uptown Jackson property near archive center

With an eye on long-range planning, the Cape Girardeau County Commission on Thursday approved buying the property at 120 E. Washington St. in Jackson.

While there are no immediate plans for the building, the acquisition could provide space for a county archives department nearing capacity.

The property was appraised and purchased for $110,000, according to Commissioner Paul Koeper. The former owner will remain in the building for about six months and the county will collect rent, Koeper said.

Possibilities for the property's use include expanding the Cape Girardeau County Archive Center or creating parking spaces in a part of town that needs them, Koeper said.

"This is a piece of property that we felt we needed to have down the road for the future needs of the county, whether it's to increase the size of the archives building or tear it down for a parking lot," Koeper said.

Steven Pledger, director of the Cape Girardeau County Archive Center, said the 7,000-square-foot office at 112 East Washington St. is rapidly running out of space.

"Next month the building will be 10 years old," he said. "We have enough room for another two or three years, if that long."

The center stores documents from nearly every county office, dating back to 1798.

Pledger is a bit conflicted, though. He said the archive center could use parking, too.

Commissioner Jay Purcell said the acquisition is part of the long-range plan to make sure the future needs of county departments are being met, that they have room to grow and that the county is protecting the property surrounding county facilities.

Koeper said the county missed an opportunity several years ago to secure property near the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse and County Administrative Building.

"Someone else bought it, and we should have looked into it back then," he said.

Presiding Commissioner Clint Tracy said the commission in the coming months will evaluate the best use for the property.

"We'll just have to wait and see what happens," he said.

Pertinent address:

120 E. Washington St., Jackson MO

112 E. Washington St., Jackson MO