County plan could mean big changes for Cape, Jackson

The majority of Cape Girardeau County's government functions could be moved to Jackson if a plan to consolidate facilities moves forward.

In February 2013, the county commission hired St. Louis-based Treanor Architects to assess the county's buildings and its needs for space and function. Later that year, a study was completed, and three plans were presented to the commission.

* Option A would include a renovation of the existing administration building and the existing Jackson courthouse. It also calls for the commission, county clerk and public defender's offices to move to the old courthouse, giving more room to the remaining offices in the administration building.

The new courthouse would be built near North Missouri and Washington streets. In the basement, the new building would have a 60-space parking garage. It would house offices for the prosecuting attorney and circuit court clerk and four large courtrooms for jury trials, holding areas for inmates, a drug court and offices for judges and court employees.

* Option B would move nearly all county operations into a new four-story courthouse, which also would be near North Missouri and Washington. The existing administration building would be torn down and replaced with a two-level, 200-space parking garage.

* Option C would place a new courthouse near the area where Washington Street meets U.S. 61. The building would house courthouse operations and county administrative offices. The existing administration building would be torn down and replaced with a new section of U.S. 61, which could improve traffic flow in the area. A two-level parking garage would be built near the existing jail at North Missouri and Washington.

No official action has been taken, but the county is taking the strongest look at the final option.

The courts

The construction of a new courthouse in Jackson means the county would no longer use the Common Pleas Courthouse in Cape Girardeau. Associate Commissioner Charlie Herbst said moving proceedings to one city could lead to more efficient use of the buildings.

"They have more things going on now," he said of the courts. "E-filing helps, but you still have times when they're booked over here [in Jackson] and need more courtrooms and Cape's sitting empty."

If a new courthouse is built, eliminating the need for Common Pleas, Herbst said the county would quitclaim deed its 50 percent ownership of the building. The city of Cape Girardeau would retain full ownership of the building. It already owns the property.

Estimated cost for the construction of the courthouse is $22,695,640.

The new courthouse would come with a slew of other benefits, the commissioner said. No plans have been finalized, but the new building could include six jury courts, each with adjoining waiting rooms and attorney conference rooms. Offices for judges and other court employees would be tucked away with the courtrooms featured in the center of the top two floors.

"[The layout] makes it easier to provide security for the area as well," said Herbst.

He said the new courthouse would provide an "expectation of privacy" that isn't allowed at the smaller Common Pleas Courthouse -- an issue especially problematic in cases involving juveniles. The 2013 study found increased security was needed in lobbies of county buildings.

The existing courthouse would be home to drug courts and the public administrator and public defender's offices. Plans called for the building to be renovated rather than demolished. Herbst said the building was in sound structural condition, which was surprising, given it is more than 100 years old.

"We're talking about a courthouse people used to literally drive horses and buggies to," he said.

Administration

The county's administrative offices would be moved to the new courthouse and spread among two floors. The offices for commission, recorder of deeds, county clerk, collector and assessor would reside on the first level. Offices for the auditor, treasurer and courts clerk would sit on the second level with the prosecuting attorney's office.

The basement area offers enough space to house the county archive center. Herbst said the existing property could be sold or renovated to find a new purpose.

The location and amount of space needed for each office was determined as part of the study. Herbst compared the process to assembling a puzzle. With the new layout and additional space, he said each office could be better organized.

The commissioners, for example, would have space for each of their offices and a room to hold county commission meetings in one area. The layout in the existing administration building does not offer enough space for each of the rooms to sit together.

He expects the public to notice a change for the better, especially when visiting some of the higher-traffic offices. Once there's more room for operation, Herbst said customer service will likely see an improvement.

Parking

The existing courthouses in Jackson and Cape Girardeau have consistent issues with parking, Herbst said, and it's especially noticeable on court days. The new plan calls for building a two-level parking garage, which would feature 88 spaces on each level. There could also be designated spaces for judges and other employees. The estimated cost for the garage is $2,431,485.

Traffic

The city of Jackson and the Missouri Department of Transportation have long discussed a U.S. 61 project that would address traffic concerns in the area around the courthouse. The two have cooperated with the county to ensure any changes would work in conjunction with county updates.

By moving county administrative offices to a new building, U.S. 61 could be reconfigured to run diagonally through where the administration building stands today.

Based on traffic and safety studies conducted by MoDOT, a roundabout or a four-way lighted intersection could be built to reduce congestion in uptown Jackson. The final decision rests with the city.

Before the commissioners make a final decision, Herbst said the public will have opportunities to weigh in. A funding source has not been identified, but he said that will be the next item. When the county goes to the public, he said it hopes to clearly lay out the plan and the needs for consideration.

"Nobody is looking to build a Taj Mahal or a legacy here," said Herbst. "Anything we do would be practical."

A link to the Cape Girardeau County Needs Assessment and the three plans is available at semissourian.com.

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent address:

1 Barton Square, Jackson, Mo.