Condemnation process for buildings is lengthy, costly

The demolition process for a condemned building can take up to 310 days in Cape Girardeau, depending on the compliance of the homeowner. A basic structure costs around $10,000 to demolish and a larger building, such as the former Broadway Theatre, can cost substantially more.

Last week, Cape Girardeau city manager Kenny Haskin announced in a news release a planned proposal to City Council members to use $125,000 from American Rescue Plan funds to increase the number of condemned buildings the city can demolish in Cape Girardeau. The budget the city allocates each year for condemned building removal allowed for two to three buildings each year.

The proposal is part of a safety initiative to reduce crime and allow for city development. Cape Girardeau public information manager Nicolette Brennan said there are several steps between when a building is placed on the condemnation list and when the building is demolished.

"It is about a year and every single property can be very different, but there is a lot of back and forth communication with the owner alerting them to the situation," Brennan said. "There are public hearings throughout the process and inspections of the property to see if there has been compliance. The idea is that we give the property owner as much of a chance as possible to take responsibility to make sure the structure is safe. But, ultimately, if that cannot be done, we have to take it down."

The condemnation process begins when the Planning and Services Division receives notification of a damaged building and an inspection is made by a building official or building and code enforcement manager. The official examines the extent of the damage to the structure and determines whether the building should be condemned. In the event the building is condemned, the owner is required to make the repairs necessary or to demolish the building. If the owner does not comply, then bids are open to construction companies to demolish the building.

"Those bids are sent to the City Council to approve and then get the property demolished and then we tax bill that property," Brennan said. "If the person still owns the property, then they are responsible for that payment through that tax lien. However, if they choose to sell their property, then typically that buyer becomes responsible for repaying that."

Twenty-eight properties are currently listed on Cape Girardeau's condemnation list, last updated in January, according to Cape Girardeau Fire Chief Randy Morris. One property included on the list is the former Broadway Theatre, located at 805 Broadway. The theater caught fire in March 2021 causing damage to the facade and roof of the building.

City of Cape Girardeau staff granted the owners of the theater building a 45-day extension on Jan. 26 to repair the facade of the structure. Cape Broadway Theatre board president Susan Hightower said it will take approximately $1 million to repair the building's facade and replace the building's damaged roof. As of February, the not-for-profit had raised $15,000. The deadline for facade repair ended March 12 for the Broadway Theatre.

"As we work toward demolition, we're still communicating with the theater (owners) as they are still looking for funding to save it," Brennan said. "Meanwhile, we need to figure out how to safely demolish the structure, while keeping neighboring properties safe. Once that job is defined, we can get bids to take down the structure."

According to the Cape Girardeau City Council agenda, the proposal will not be brought in front of the Council at the next meeting Monday at Cape Girardeau City Hall located at 44 N. Lorimier St.

An example timeline of the condemnation process for structures in Cape Girardeau. Depending on the owner's compliance, the timeline could be shorter and the structure demolished sooner.City of Cape Girardeau infographic