Ceremony held for redevelopment of Broadway Theatre building

A groundbreaking ceremony was held Tuesday morning, May 30, for the redevelopment of the former Broadway Theatre building in Cape Girardeau.

With sounds of demolition work on the theater's interior underway in the background, Liz Haynes, executive director of Old Town Cape, addressed a small group of supporters and called the occasion "momentous".

Haynes talked about how the benefits of the project will increase the "vibrancy of our downtown community" including retail and living spaces, as well as increasing property values and sales tax revenues. She said the project has already garnered interest in the form of pre-leases.

"It's exciting to see so much momentum and we can't wait to watch as it continues," Haynes said.

Brennon Todt, owner of Todt Roofing Inc. and the contractor chosen by the city to revitalize the century-old building, said even though the "bricks might be old" they can be returned to service to the community. He called the venture a "living project", and spoke about a discovery his crew made that morning.

"We were ripping up the old moss-covered carpets in the lobby and we uncovered beautiful mosaic tile from the 1920s that's in pristine condition," Todt said. "It highlights that sometimes, buried beneath the rubble, is beauty and that's what we're finding in this project."

Todt added he was grateful for the opportunity to "bring this old building back to life" and asked the community for patience during periodic road closures and other inconveniences due to construction.

Steven Hoffman, Old Town Cape board member and professor of history and anthropology at Southeast Missouri State University, also spoke about the importance of the Broadway Theatre project.

"Historic buildings are our connection to our past selves, both as individuals and as a community," Hoffman said. "It is about the people and the memories and the connection to places that buildings like the Broadway offer us."

Hoffman quoted the building's nomination to the National Register of Historic Places stating, over a hundred years ago, when the citizens of Cape Girardeau came together to "celebrate themselves", they chose to do so at the Broadway Theatre.

As previously reported by the Southeast Missourian, Cape Girardeau City Council voted to move forward with the project May 1, saving the building from complete demolition. The theater, after being closed for more than 25 years, had fallen into significant disrepair with further structural damage caused by a fire in 2021.