GOUP HEARS REPORT ON MAIN STREET IMPROVEMENT

A group of concerned citizens has vowed to embark upon a program that has been successful all across the country -- the Main Street Project.

"The downtown didn't fall apart overnight," said John Bry, executive director of Main Street Columbus in Columbus, Ind. "It is not going to be restored overnight either."

Bry is in Cape Girardeau helping to advise the community about what can be accomplished through the program. He met with a group of concerned citizens, city officials and Southeast Missouri State University representatives Monday to explain some of his findings.

Judith Lang, a downtown merchant, has set up a steering committee that has evolved into a 15-member board, which is in the process of getting the program started. Because Cape Girardeau has a Main Street, the program will be known as Old Cape Town.

The board will meet sometime next month to begin implementing the program.

In 1977, cities began to revitalize the downtown areas as a means to develop more economic opportunities. The idea was to preserve the historic nature of the towns while building a larger economic base.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation launched the Main Street Project as a means to study the cause for downtown decay and find a way to save some of the history in America's older communities.

Originally, three towns were chosen to test the program. The success of the program led to the National Trust for Historic Preservation setting up the National Main Street Center in 1980. By 1984, the program had spread to 31 states and was set up in about 600 communities.

Now the program has come to Cape Girardeau. Bry told the group he has identified three distinct downtown areas: the riverfront, which stretches from the Mississippi River along Independence, Lorimier and Broadway streets; Haarig, which is new Highway 74, Pacific, the riverfront and Independence; and upper Broadway, which is Broadway, Independence, Lorimier and West End Boulevard.

Bry went through a process of brainstorming with the group on what made up the identity of each district and what were strengths and weaknesses of each area.

For instance, the Haarig district has a lot of German architecture, but because of various demolitions there are a lot of empty lots that break up the line of buildings.

"Can anyone tell me things are getting better because of the demolitions?" Bry said. "Are property values increasing because of the demolitions?"

In the upper Broadway district, he said there are too many buildings not being used. He said just in the 400 block of Broadway alone about 47 percent of the buildings are vacant. One reason for the vacancies can be attributed to the fact that so few businesses cater to the university.

"It's only two blocks away," Bry said. "A lot of buildings are just sitting vacant. I think I should open up a Kinko's franchise here. I could be make a killing with the university."

Bry said upper Broadway needs to revitalize the theaters and become more of a 24-hour area.

"I was up until 2 in the morning last night," Bry said. "Can anyone tell me what there is to do at that time in this town?"

The riverfront district has a jump on the rest of the town because the local merchants have tried to improve the area, he said. Bry suggested that the river is not being used to its fullest potential to attract businesses and tourists. He said there needs to be more and better signs to let people know they are in a historic riverfront area. He also said businesses ought to make sure that employees do not take up valuable customer parking.

Bry said the whole process to changing the downtown begins with organization and getting everyone involved. Once the whole community is on board, then a design can be found to restructure the old buildings to once again turn a profit. Bry plans to put all of his findings in a report that he will submit to a board.

He told them not to get impatient in setting everything up and to make sure to have their money ready before hiring a manager to begin the projects.

Bry said: "Don't be afraid to take a year to get your program going. This is your program, not your manager's program."

Councilman Tom Neumeyer heard Bry's remarks and thinks the program will be successful because a beautiful downtown is something that will help the entire community.

"This program emphasizes bridge building by helping to bring the heart of the city together," Neumeyer said. "In the end, the neighborhoods and the city as a whole will benefit."