Free workshop offered for Old Town Cape property owners

A free public workshop for Old Town Cape property owners will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. today at the Kelsen Gallery at the Kellerman-Alliance Building, 13 S. Spanish St., Cape Girardeau.

The workshop will focus on the recently adopted voluntary design guidelines for the Old Town Cape district and will be geared toward property owners considering improvements to their properties. In addition to the presentation of the design guidelines, a panel of five individuals involved in development issues will discuss various aspects of developing in the Old Town Cape area.

The workshop is sponsored jointly by the City of Cape Girardeau Division of Inspection Services and Old Town Cape Inc.

The program should last approximately an hour, followed by social and networking time.

Robb McClary, director of inspection services for the city, will lead the meeting. Panelists include Dr. Steven J. Hoffman, a Southeast Missouri State University professor of historical preservation; Brenda Schloss, Historic Preservation Commission; Tony Sebek, a Cape Girardeau architect, and Mary Ann Kellerman, who, along with husband, Burt Kellerman, owns several historic properties in Cape Girardeau.

Building enhancements

Hoffman will discuss the voluntary design guidelines recently adopted by Old Town Cape. The design guidelines "can serve as a catalyst for building enhancements and promote a more cohesive redevelopment," Hoffman said.

McClary said the city has flexibility to waive the strict requirements of the building codes to preserve the architectural integrity of an historic building while at the same time ensuring safety of the occupants. "But the building must be listed in a local, state or national historic register to qualify for code waivers," McClary said.

Schloss will talk about the different historic registers and how to qualify.

As a local architect and member of the city's Building Board of Appeals, Sebek has been involved in numerous new and redevelopment projects in the city.

The Kellermans have been leaders in the historic community with ownership of several historic properties, including the Kellerman-Alliance Building. Mary Ann Kellerman will review her experiences in owning and restoring historic buildings.

For more information about this seminar, call the Division of Inspection Services at 334-4466.