Creation of historic neighborhood wins state approval; waiting on final OK from Washington

A 13-block area of downtown Cape Girardeau is one step closer to being designated a historic neighborhood on the National Register of Historic Places.

The nomination of the Courthouse-Seminary Neighborhood Historic District was approved Friday by the Missouri Advisory Council on Historic Preservation in Jefferson City, Mo. The nomination will now be forwarded to the Keeper of the National Register in Washington, D.C., for final approval.

The Courthouse-Seminary Neighborhood Historic District is roughly bounded by Middle, Themis, Main, Aquamsi and Morgan Oak streets.

Forming a district like this helps create synergy among homeowners, said Marla Mills, executive director of Old Town Cape.

"What has been proven in other areas is that home owners are really proud of that designation and start to take more pride in their homes," Mills said. "It raises the bar and, in turn, raises property values."

Once the district is placed on the National Register, homeowners there will qualify for tax credits to offset renovation costs.

"We're hoping it will help revitalize those neighborhoods and give property owners an incentive to do these rehabs on their homes," said Melinda Winchester, historic preservation consultant with Lafser & Associates in Cape Girardeau.

Winchester's firm was hired by the city to do the surveys and preliminary studies required to apply for this neighborhood National Register designation. The funding came from a grant the city received from the Missouri Historic Preservation office, Winchester said.

There are some restrictions on homes that will qualify for tax credits, including that their architectural integrity remain intact.

There are more than 100 homes inside the Courthouse-Seminary Neighborhood Historic District, with some dating back to the 1850s. Home styles include Colonial Revival, Craftsman and Queen Anne

This designation comes as Old Town Cape is putting more focus on promoting downtown living.

The organization recently sponsored a tour of downtown homes, several of which were in the Courthouse-Seminary Neighborhood Historic District, to showcase the benefits of living downtown.

"It's something we're starting to promote more and something the community is starting to be more interested in," Mills said. "The more people that live down here, the more it opens the door for all kinds of businesses."

The new neighborhood historic district already includes ten homes previously listed individually on the National Register.

Local dentist Dr. Jayne Scherrman, who spent two years remodeling her home on Lorimier Street, owns one of those homes. She took advantage of historic preservation tax credits to help her renovate it.

"It was a labor of love," she said. "You can never get the same character and charm with a new house. My home has 110-year-old details you could never duplicate."

She hopes this historic neighborhood designation will encourage others to restore nearby homes.

"There's such potential down there," she said. "Houses are just screaming for people to come and bring them back to life."

mmiller@semissourian.com

388-3646