Downtown Cape: Renewal continues, but empty storefronts remain

Visitors and residents have plenty to say about the state of the buildings in Cape Girardeau's historic downtown.

Some believe efforts to improve the town's traditional center have been successful. Others aren't so sure. One thing seems certain -- the historic buildings along Broadway and Main Street get noticed. Local leaders hope the renewal trend will continue and empty buildings will be filled.

Marla Mills, executive director of Old Town Cape, a not-for-profit organization that works toward downtown revitalization, said the area is in an upswing. More buildings have been rehabilitated and there's been an overall improvement in the quality of businesses attracted to downtown during the last two years, she said.

Businesses come through the area in a cycle, Mills said. Some have not survived, but the net number has increased. The pacing of improvements is important, she said, because lasting and effective changes are incremental.

Cape Girardeau Mayor Harry Rediger believes there has been a renewed interest in downtown, and the future for the area is brighter than it was five or 10 years ago. The city is working to bring more parking to the area, he said. His biggest concern is the number of large, empty buildings along Broadway and Main Street.

Rediger has expressed frustration on several occasions with the handling of the sale of the former federal building by the General Services Administration, a 54,400-square-foot building that sits empty at 339 Broadway. He also is concerned about unfilled office spaces in the seven-story restored, 1920s-era, Marquette Tower Office Building at 338 Broadway, the mostly empty Hammelberger and Harrison Building, also known as the "H & H" building, at 400 Broadway and the former Keys Music Store at 121 Broadway..

This graphic shows empty, occupied and recently renovated downtown buildings along Broadway and Main Street. Buildings shaded in blue are empty. Those in brown are occupied; and those outlines with a broken line have been externally improved, renovated or placed under new ownership in the past five years. (Source: Southeast Missourian research by Shay Alderman and Collin Smith)

Anyone interested in the larger properties sees the other large empty buildings and "kind of backs away a little bit," Rediger said.

The Marquette is approximately 60 percent occupied, according to Tom Kelsey of Lorimont Place Ltd, who represents the property.

Mills said the extensive historic building stock downtown is an asset and a challenge. Preserving old buildings is expensive and some owners aren't interested in the endeavor.

As an example, the 145-year-old Julius Vasterling Building, once considered an eyesore at the corner of Broadway and North Sprigg Street, was overhauled and restored last year by developer Kenny Pincksten for about $800,000, including a $400,000 state Community Development Block Grant. Pincksten last month won Old Town Cape's John Boardman Excellence in Historic Rehabilitation Award for his efforts.

"It's not very lucrative. I had the assistance of a grant, which helped. But there are rewards. That was a very rewarding project," Pincksten said.

The building is completely rented and he said he's glad he was able to preserve a piece of Cape Girardeau's history and beautify the neighborhood. He said it was gratifying to feel as if he's made a positive difference in his hometown.

Along with new interests, longtime downtown merchants who've stayed through bad times and good are key to keeping the area alive, Mills said.

Zickfield Jewelry and Gifts was established in 1939 and has been in the same location downtown at 29 N. Main St. for 45 years. Owner Kent Zickfield has seen more traffic downtown and more property owners bettering their structures. The upturn likely is due, at least in part, to an improved economy, he said. But efforts toward making the area more attractive and improving infrastructure are the biggest factors.

"I think the driving force on it is the infrastructure changes they've done on Broadway," Zickfield said.

The front of Philanthropy, 407 Broadway, in Cape Girardeau. Tuesday, March 12. (Adam Vogler)

The city of Cape Girardeau's Broadway Corridor Enhancement Project, which stretched from Pacific to Water streets, was completed in a six-month period from April to October last year for a cost of approximately $4.5 million. Six businesses relocated to the street during the project. One, Redline Motosports, has since closed.

Money for improvements came from the city's voter-approved Transportation Trust Fund and a half-cent sales tax for transportation projects. Enhancements outside the scope of the streetwork, such as benches and wayfinding signs, came from an agreement with Isle Casino Cape Girardeau, which opened in October.

More than 103,000 people visited Isle Casino Cape Girardeau in February. Mills said the casino has added an exciting attraction to downtown and money generated from its revenue agreement with the city has accelerated upgrades, but it hasn't changed the overall vision for the area.

Though the casino has brought some attention and traffic, improvements have been taking place over a long period of time, Zickfield said. Features such as murals and better parking have been added and the district has been cleaned up overall, he said.

Downtown always has been a regional hub; now visitors and residents can begin their journey at the casino, drop by Main Street's retail, entertainment and restaurant options and land at the River Campus. People who stopped coming downtown are "refinding" the area, he said.

"I think that everybody has noticed the transition," Zickfield said. "There's lots of positive things going on."

Old Town Cape continues to try to attract businesses in cooperation with the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, Magnet and local real-estate agents. Mills uses development materials that note the types of establishments that would be a good fit in accordance with the strategic plan created when Cape Girardeau was selected in 2006 to participate in the Downtown Revitalization and Economic Assistance for Missouri program. As desired by residents, the plan includes more dining and retail options. It also includes, among a variety of ideas, a river outdoor adventure store to maximize the proximity to the river, housing, a computer store and a specialty grocery store.

Mills said more changes are on the horizon. It may not yet be evident, but some buildings are in the midst of transformation. Others may appear empty, but they actually are residential spaces.

Creating a stable, authentic downtown is like putting together a puzzle, Mills said. When people drive along Broadway and see the historic buildings, they get a good feeling when the area feels authentic.

"That's what we have," she said. "An authentic area."

salderman@semissourian.com

388-3646

Pertinent address:

29 N. Main St., Cape Girardeau, MO

502 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO

300 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO

120 N Main St, Cape Girardeau, MO

777 N. Main St., Cape Girardeau, MO

633 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO