Cape Girardeau Historic Preservation Commission announces 2024 Endangered Buildings list

The 2024 Endangered Buildings List was announced Wednesday, May 1. The list was adopted by the Cape Girardeau Historic Preservation Commission on April 17.

According to the commission, the list is “for the sole purpose of promoting public awareness of buildings and structures that, in the opinion of the commission, have historic value and are believed to be at risk of being lost due to significant deterioration and/or imminent demolition.” The list is split into two categories, one with buildings that are considered endangered and one that includes buildings on a watch list.

Endangered list

​The following list is of buildings the commission has deemed endangered, including the property’s condition as stated by the commission:

• 127 S. Lorimer St. — added to the list in 2013, “the house appears to be vacant and certain elements, including the windows, the bay window, and the rear addition, are damaged and/or deteriorating”;
• 831 North St. — added to the list in 2017, “the house is deteriorating quickly due to missing roof shingles, missing mortar from the brick and severely peeling paint”;
• 600 block of Good Hope St. — added to the list in 2021, “in recent decades, the district has been devastated by multiple demolitions as a result of chronic vacancy and severe neglect”;
• 419 Bellevue St. — added to the list in 2021, “the building is in severe need of maintenance, as evidenced by the damaged fascia, soffit, and gutter on the front elevation;”
• 124 S. Lorimer St. — added to the list in 2022, “water damage is evident in several places, mostly due to roof issues, missing mortar and paint wear”;
• Juden School at 900 W. Cape Rock Drive — added back to the list in 2023 after being moved to the watch list in 2016, “the building is vulnerable to flooding, particularly the basement, and the roof needs to be replaced";
• F.W. Woolworth Co. Building at 1 N. Main St. — built in 1950 and added to the list in 2023 after being re-added to the watch list in 2021, “it has been vacant for several years and has not been maintained, as evidenced by the broken windows”;
• 328 S. Sprigg St. — built in 1900 and added to the list in 2023, “the small window in the front gable is damaged, and the roof is missing the diamond shingles in several spots”;
• 314, 316 and 318 S. Sprigg St. — built in 1925 and added to the list in 2024, “the plywood does not cover the entire openings, leaving the seemingly gutted interior vulnerable to the weather, animals and vagrants.”

Watch list

• The Art building at 940 Academic Drive;
• Surety Savings and Loan Association Building at 318 and 320 Broadway;
• May Greene School at 1000 S. Ranney Ave.;
• 419 North St.;
• Kelso Arboreta at 2009 Old Sprigg Street Road;
• 121 N. West End Blvd.;
• 412 Asher St.;
• Pure Ice Co. Building at 314 S. Ellis St.;
• Cheney Hall at N. Henderson Ave.;
• 531 N. Fountain St.;
• 227 S. Lorimer St.;
• Pacific Hall on 347 N. Pacific St.

For more information on the buildings, visit the Historic Preservation Commission’s website at https://www.cityofcapegirardeau.org/departments/government/boards_commissions/historic_preservation_commission.