FORMER R&M STORE HOUSING BUSINESSES

The 45,000-square-foot building at 760 S. Kingshighway that housed Rust & Martin Furniture for a number of years is taking on a new look.

"It's like a new building inside," said James Rust. "We have completely remodeled the interior of the building. We've redone and added walls, rewired the entire building, added all the new facilities called for by the disability code, and are in the process of adding a new roof."

Another addition to the structure is a new air-conditioning and heating unit as well as a new parking area at the south end of the building.

"We also have plans to landscape the area around the building," said Rust.

Rust and his wife, Beverly, are owners of the complex, which has been named "Eagle Peak."

"We're turning it into a retail-office complex," said Rust. "To date, nine different clients have leased space in the building and we have only 1,200 square feet left for lease."

Additional information concerning the building and leasing is available by contacting Rust at R&M Enterprises Inc., 334-0517.

The sign for the new complex went up Wednesday.

A large share of the building will be leased by Southeast Missouri Hospital. Hospital Administrator James Wente said the hospital will relocate its Home Health and Hospice Service to the building along with the hospital's medical transcription area.

"Both of these groups have been growing and need more space," said Wente.

He said that moving the medical transcription area would also free an area near the hospital's existing emergency facilities for immediate expansion.

Superior Office Products will occupy more than 8,000 square feet in the complex.

"This more than doubles our previous space," said Angie Grissom, secretary, bookkeeper and receptionist for Superior. "It also offers better visibility."

Superior, owned by Henry and Pam Dirnberger of Benton, offers lines of copiers, office furniture, cash registers and office equipment.

Adjoining Superior in the front section of the building is Cape Blueprint, which also doubled its space.

"We were previously located upstairs at the R&M building," said Floyd Evans, owner of the firm. "We wanted on the ground level, and when this became available we moved here."

The firm is a commercial blueprinter. It also offers copies of large documents.

"We do drafting and engineering graphics," said Evans, who has more than 30 years experience in the industry.

Also leasing space at the building will be McElreath Realty and Insurance and Finch and Temples Insurance.

"We'll be working together and sharing office space, said Mary Kistner, a partner in the McElreath firm.

Rock Finch and Doug Temples are owners of Finch and Temples Insurance.

Two companies Eagle Snack and CDI Inc. will have warehouse space in the building.

Others becoming a part of the Eagle Peak complex are the Private Industry Council; Medical Documentation Services Ltd.; and a new business, Custom Work Room.

The Private Industry Council was moving into its new quarters this weekend. Created as a part of the Job Training Partnership Act to help get a trained work force in a 13-county area, it was previously on the second floor of a building on North Kingshighway.

The organization provides job training programs for people who meet the qualifications, and is a partnership between private business and public organizations under the federal Job Training Act.