Federal courthouse exterior to be finished by January

The new $50 million federal courthouse is a tad behind schedule, and there have been a few bumps. But, all in all, Jim Snedegar says the project is "steaming forward. No doubt about that."

Snedegar, the federal courthouse project construction manager for the General Services Administration, says that the building's exterior should be done by January and should be completely finished by fall 2006.

The contractor, PCL Construction of Denver, moved construction trailers onto the site in January 2004 to begin site work. Originally, some thought the building would be completely done by this December and could open as early as April 2006.

Federal judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Sr., a longtime proponent of getting a new federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau, admitted it was a "little behind schedule."

Limbaugh said they had some problems with one of the contractors.

"It didn't work out," he said. "They had to get another one, but it was no big deal. There are always a bunch of little things that happen in a construction project. It's been ironed out."

The exterior of the new courthouse, on Independence Street adjacent to city hall, currently is getting brick and glass work done, Snedegar said. Then, in January, work can begin on the interior of the building, including courtrooms and offices for the 11 tenants, which include U.S. marshals, prosecutors and the GSA, he said.

Some have suggested that the new courthouse isn't needed, especially considering that there isn't even a full-time federal judge stationed here. But Limbaugh said a full-time judge may be on the horizon.

"I think there is a very real possibility that will happen," he said.

Judge Donald Stohr is close to taking senior status, which is basically a semiretirement position for federal judges, Limbaugh said. When that happens, he said, a replacement judge named by President Bush could be sent to Cape Girardeau on a permanent basis.

For that to happen, Limbaugh said, the president would have to request it and the judges of Missouri's Eastern District would have to concur. He doesn't think that would be a problem, considering that would save judges trips down here to handle cases.

It would be part of the political process to get the president to know of the need, Limbaugh said. U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson and U.S. Sens. Kit Bond and Jim Talent have all said publicly they would like to see a full-time federal judge in Cape Girardeau.

"I think that will pull itself up by the bootstraps," Limbaugh said. "I think a full-time judge will be there."

He says there's too much work to be done for there not to be. He said the average case load is 160 to 180 civil cases and 100 to 125 criminal cases.

smoyers@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 137