CHAMBER BOARD TOURS NEW HEADQUARTERS

The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce could be in new quarters as early as late May or early June.

Members of the chamber board toured the new building, under construction at 1267 N. Mount Auburn Road, following the board's monthly meeting Tuesday morning.

The 4,800 square foot structure is under roof and inside work is continuing.

Kiefner Brothers Inc. is contractor for the new headquarters. Tom Holshouser was the architect. Bidding on the building was limited to chamber members.

The chamber actually has until November to move from its current headquarters at 601 N. Kingshighway. That building was sold more than a year ago with the agreement that the chamber could remain up to two years.

The new brick building includes a large meeting room that will seat up to 50 people. The parking lot will have 41 spaces, including handicapped spaces.

The building will be only the fourth for the chamber since it was founded in 1920. During its first eight years, the chamber met in a building that housed the Elks Club before settling in at 225 Broadway in 1928. It moved from there to North Kingshighway in 1974.

The new building is located on an eight-tenths-of-an-acre tract with 150-feet of frontage and 225 feet in depth.

The idea of a new chamber building emerged almost four years ago during the chamber's annual retreat. Chamber officials cited a need for additional space and more parking.

The plan was placed on the back burner during the 1993 retreat, but was revived when the chamber received an unsolicited bid to buy its present building.