City of Cape signs lease agreement for police substation on Good Hope

A lease agreement between the City of Cape Girardeau and not-for-profit organization Partners for Good Hope for a police substation at 629 Good Hope St. was approved by the City Council on Monday, May 6.

According to the council’s agenda report, the agreement lets the city operate and maintain the substation and will pay $12 per year to Good Hope. Assistant city manager Trevor Pulley said the lease will allow the city to develop the older building and promote redevelopment across the area.

Planning and Zoning Commission chairman Scott Blank said work with police chief Wes Blair on the design for the project started a few years ago, around 2021. He said they took the time to apply for grants, which were denied at the time.

“So we’ve reapplied for this year. But again, we lose or draw for this because we’re tired of kicking the can down the road and ready to get moving on this thing,” Blank said.

He said the building is designed to have some office space and will have a community center in the back on the main floor. Blank said Blair expressed interest in holding workshops and training at the substation.

He said it will also be a place for neighborhood organizations to gather for community events.

“We feel like establishing this police substation is going to be a major catalyst to allow commercial and residencies to return to this area,” Blank said.

At the meeting, resident Ramona Bailey said since the substation would be located in the south side of town she hoped there wouldn’t be any “over-policing” going on. She also asked how much it would cost for residents to utilize the area.

“I believe the lease agreement states that the police department really would have the ability to regulate the use of that (area),” Mayor Stacy Kinder said in response to the question.

Kinder said she doesn’t think it’s intended to be a venue but just a space in the back of the building. Pulley said there hasn’t been a dollar amount set for community use at the station.

He also described the function of the substation as more of a community relations effort.

“You’re not going to have 20 to 30 officers there just to be policing in one area,” Pulley said. “It’s just to assist the community in that area or anywhere where something happens.”

Blank said they will, as of the moment, be retaining the apartment space on the second floor of the building with the possibility of it being used as extra office space. He said construction for the building is supposed to start in July and the contractor anticipates it being finished in January.