DREAM Initiative helps get as much as $1.5 million for Cape

The DREAM Initiative has helped bring as much as $1.5 million to the city of Cape Girardeau, according to Marla Mills, executive director of Old Town Cape.

She made the announcement as part of a one-year project update.

Using volunteers and paid staff, DREAM projects have included a land use and infrastructure study, focus groups, a visitor survey of nearly 200, a downtown community survey, design guidelines for historic districts, a housing market analysis and assessments of tourism and marketing.

For the last year, Old Town Cape officials have worked with Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce, the city and Southeast Missouri State University on most of those efforts.

The city won two key grants, $102,000 for a home repair initiative and $5,000 for the city's first storytelling festival, aimed at DREAM cities. Winning a $70,000 Missouri Heritage Properties program grant to update heating and cooling in the Common Pleas Courthouse was made easier, according to Tim Arbeiter of the chamber of commerce.

Mainly, DREAM is helping produce a detailed strategic plan for three downtown sections of the city. Mills said the plan will complement the city's comprehensive plan by adding details, such as where parking makes the most sense and how best to add housing.

Mills said results of a community survey on downtown priorities, which drew more than 850 responses, will be available later this year. DREAM's strategic plan is due in midsummer, she said.