CONSTRUCTION: CAPE GIRARDEAU CONTINUING GOOD GROWTH IN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Mid-South Steel is moving out of the flood plains.

Cape Central Publishing Co., a victim of the planned Mississippi River bridge, will move to a new site this spring.

Federal Express ran out of room downtown and will move to a new facility.

Cape Family Entertainment Inc. has announced plans for a roller skating facility in Cape Girardeau.

These business announcements and others, all point to the fact that Cape Girardeau is continuing to experience good growth in the construction industry.

"We've experienced a steady growth over the past few years and we're already off to a good start this year," said Rick Murray, building inspector and supervisor of Cape Girardeau Inspection Service.

Among major projects that received permits during the first quarter of 1994 was Mid-South Steel, which is constructing two buildings in the Six-Thirty Industrial Park along Highway 74.

"We've been under water five times since 1973," said Albert L. "Sonny" Underwood Jr., president of the firm, now situated at 1500 Riverview Drive, along the Mississippi River north of the flood wall.

Construction is already under way on the new facilities at Corporate Circle Drive, just south of Southern Expressway (Highway 74) near the Dana Corp. plant.

"Concrete has already been poured for both of the buildings, and steel work is under way on one of them," said Underwood.

The smaller building will be 19,200 square feet -- 80 feet by 240 feet. The larger building will be 21,000 square feet -- 60 feet by 350 feet.

Mid-South Steel, which produces tanks used by gas stations and farmers, had more than 6 feet of water in its plants during the "Flood of 1993" and was closed July and August.

The company, which employs about 30, kept its office open and utilized many of its workers to help in flood control work. The firm recently received $75,000 in state emergency flood aid awarded by the Department of Economic Development to help in its relocation.

Mid-South Steel is in its 40th year of business. The company opened in 1954 in a 40-by-50-foot building, which was soon expanded to 80 feet by 160 feet. In 1968, the plant moved into new quarters totaling about 32,000 square feet.

"The new facility at Corporate Circle will be considerably larger and will enable us to expand," said Underwood.

The $500,000 Mid-South Steel facility is one of three big projects under construction in the Six-Thirty industrial area.

Federal Express will be moving to a new, 13,500-square-foot facility along Southern Expressway this spring. The company, which provides a complete mailing service, will move from downtown Cape Girardeau to a two-acre tract.

Cape Central Publishing Co. will also move to a new site this spring. The firm, which prints a number of weekly newspapers and also offers commercial printing, will be situated next door to Federal Express, in a 12,500-square-foot plant.

Construction is also continuing on the 17,200-square-foot, $1 million Salvation Army headquarters building at 701 Good Hope, which is expected to be ready for occupancy in September.

Permits have not been issued yet for two or three projects expected in the city this year, including Sam's and a Cape Family Entertainment Inc. center.

The new entertainment center, which will include a roller skating rink, mini-golf course and batting cages, was announced only this week, and will be situated in the 600 block of Commercial Street in Cape Girardeau (See details, Owen's business column).

A total of 136 building permits were issued during the first quarter of 1994 in Cape Girardeau in the amount of $7.5 million.

"That figure tops the $4.8 million in permits during the same period a year ago," said Murray.

The permit office has been a busy place during the quarter. In addition to building permits, another 418 permits were issued -- 242 for plumbing/gas, 133 for electrical work, 41 for new driveways and two for excavation.

More than 50 of the building permits here were for commercial construction projects -- new buildings, renovations and remodeling, noted Murray. Commercial construction in Cape Girardeau has accounted for about $2.6 million this year.

Residential housing accounts for more than half the total construction costs, with 30 permits in the amount of $3.7 million, for an average of about $130,000. Another $345,000 was in the form of an eight-unit apartment building.

"Add in the April figures and the housing total tops $4.6 million," said Murray, who noted that seven new residential permits were issued in April in the amount of $907,820, bringing the year's total to 38 home permits in the amount of $4.6-plus million.

The late 1993 construction forecast for Missouri and Illinois was a good one.

"More of the same" was the prediction for the construction industry in the East North Central and West North Central regions of the United States for 1994.

In the survey of the nation's building contractors and distributors by the CIT Group/Industrial Financing, the overall forecast for the U.S. was for growth in some areas and reduced levels of activity in other areas.

The two North Central areas, which include Missouri and Illinois, were among areas expecting increased activity.

The Cape Girardeau area of Southeast Missouri has been on a fast track in the construction industry the past three years, and with three months down for 1994, it appears headed for another big year.

Ditto, the state.

With first-quarter permit data compiled in Cape Girardeau, the city's dollar totals are up $2.8 million over the same period a year ago, when construction experienced the second best year in the history of Cape Girardeau.

Statewide, residential buildings account for more than half of the construction dollar totals through the first three months, at $601,717,000, up 32 percent from a year ago at $405,970,000.

Commercial construction totals are up 4 percent in Missouri, from $405,036,000 to $421,041,000.

Construction in Cape Girardeau for 1993 and through April of 1994 was as follows:

1994 -- 38 new homes, $4.6 million (average, about $118,000); one apartment house, eight units, $345,000; commercial buildings, $3 million; additions to residences and commercial buildings, and signs, about $800,000. Total: $8.7 million.

1993 -- 103 new houses at a cost of $11,603,800 (average $112,658); duplexes and apartment buildings (17 units), $2,116,000; commercial buildings, $9,647,461; public buildings, $5,639,871; additions to residences and business buildings, and signs, $4.2 million. Total: $33,169,258.