Cape Schools schedule groundbreaking at Jefferson

Groundbreaking is set for Aug. 12 at Jefferson Elementary to mark the start of construction of the Jefferson Civic Center project, the Cape Girardeau School District announced Tuesday.

The scheduled 3:30 p.m. ceremony at the school at 520 Minnesota Ave. in Cape Girardeau will mark one of the initiatives and building improvements funded through voter approval of an April 2019 $12 million bond issue plebiscite.

Other projects authorized by the vote:

• Parking lot and HVAC repairs.
• Roof repair at Blanchard Elementary, Central High School and the Career and Technology Center.
• Centralized Pre-K center.
• Renovations to Alma Schrader and Jefferson elementary schools.
• New aquatics facility at Jefferson (in partnership with the City of Cape Girardeau.)

On June 28, the Cape Girardeau School Board unanimously awarded Brockmiller Construction of Farmington, Missouri, the $11.3 million contract to act as general contractor for the Jefferson project.

In addition to $4 million from the school district, money from the taxpayer-approved renewal of the City of Cape Girardeau’s Parks, Recreation and Stormwater Tax (PRS2) will also be utilized for the work at Jefferson.

School superintendent Neil Glass said the district received word May 24 of additional funding available through the federal American Rescue Plan, also referred to as the COVID-19 Stimulus Package.