Downtown Cape receiving Great American Main Street Award

Many Cape Girardeau residents long have taken pride in downtown, and now they have one more reason to brag.

Whether it's dining at a restaurant, taking in public art or going out for a shopping trip, the area offers something for locals and visitors alike. Those draws also happen to be just a few of the reasons Cape Girardeau was selected as a 2015 Great American Main Street Award winner.

Old Town Cape is receiving the award this week at the 2015 National Main Streets Conference in Atlanta. Cape Girardeau is one of three winners; the others are in New Jersey and Wyoming.

The National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, presents the award to "the country's best examples of comprehensive commercial district revitalization," it said in a news release.

A national jury selects winners from a nationwide pool, based on their use of the center's Main Street Four Point Approach: organization, promotion, design and economic restructuring.

Other criteria for winning include commitment to historic preservation, implementation of model partnership and strength of the Main Street in creating a more exciting place to live, work, play and visit.

Patrice Frey, president and CEO of the National Main Street Center, said Old Town Cape's dedication to preservation and creative partnerships captured the center's attention.

"Its collaboration with arts organizations, business interests and the university brings a dynamic mix of resources downtown, while the city's impressive list of rehabbed historic buildings demonstrates Cape Girardeau fully embraces preservation's power to revitalize," she stated in a news release.

In regard to historic preservation and adaptive reuse, the center noted several successes in Cape Girardeau, including the use of the Seminary Building to house Southeast Missouri State University River Campus classes and offices; use of the old federal building on Broadway for office space and co-working ventures; and conversion of a former bank on Broadway to become the Center for Excellence in Mass Media -- a partnership among Rust Communications, KFVS-12 and Southeast Missouri State University.

The Cape Riverfront Market, Discovery Playhouse and the outdoor sculpture exhibit on Broadway were other attractions noted in the award announcement.

Downtown has done well economically, too.

Over the course of one year, the area saw a downtown reinvestment over more than $6.6 million, gained 85 net new jobs and welcomed 34 new or relocated businesses.

Mayor Harry Rediger expressed his enthusiasm for the "significant positive change" that's come to Cape Girardeau's downtown and called Old Town Cape a catalyst for the momentum and strong community support.

Old Town Cape executive director Marla Mills said being an award winner is an achievement that validates years of hard work from the organization, as well as the many groups and volunteers dedicated to downtown.

"Being named a Great American Main Street Community will bring national exposure to our area and allow us to showcase what a wonderful main street community we have," she said. "It says publicly what we already know -- that we live, work and play in one of the greatest downtowns in the nation."

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent address:

Cape Girardeau, Mo.