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NewsFebruary 7, 2011

Paint was already peeling off the clapboard siding of most of the homes at the Isle of Capri casino site. Their front porches were already sagging. Their tin roofs already rusty. Sticking out like a sore thumb in this neighborhood is the Charles Youngerman family's dream home, built for them just a year ago on Pearl Street by local Habitat for Humanity volunteers...

Randy Mulvaney with Heartland Home Repair removes a ceiling fan Friday from the year-old Habitat for Humanity house that was bought by Isle of Capri. The house will be demolished along with others in the area of the new casino site. (Fred Lynch)
Randy Mulvaney with Heartland Home Repair removes a ceiling fan Friday from the year-old Habitat for Humanity house that was bought by Isle of Capri. The house will be demolished along with others in the area of the new casino site. (Fred Lynch)

Paint was already peeling off the clapboard siding of most of the homes at the Isle of Capri casino site. Their front porches were already sagging. Their tin roofs already rusty.

Sticking out like a sore thumb in this neighborhood is the Charles Youngerman family's dream home, built for them just a year ago on Pearl Street by local Habitat for Humanity volunteers.

"They loved their house, they loved this neighborhood," said Robin Cole, Habitat board member. "They didn't want to move somewhere else."

Over the weekend the Youngerman family, who declined to be interviewed, moved to a new home built by Habitat, just two blocks away on land donated by Dream Big LLC., the land-holding company that recruited the Isle of Capri development.

In addition to purchasing the home from the Youngerman family, Isle of Capri also paid the Youngerman family's moving expenses and made a $50,000 donation to Habitat.

"Isle of Capri has worked with Habitat in many of the communities where we operate," said Jill Haynes, Isle of Capri spokeswoman. "We support Habitat's mission and look forward to having this family as our neighbors."

Even though Isle purchased the year-old home, it donated back to Habitat anything that could be removed from the house and reused or resold before it was torn down.

Volunteers worked over the weekend to remove the cabinets, heating and air conditioning units, and light fixtures.

Cole said Habitat looked into moving the home and Isle of Capri had agreed to pay costs estimated at $10,000 associated with moving it, but that wasn't feasible because its size and the logistics of moving it to another lot Habitat already owned.

"Isle has walked every last mile in Cape Girardeau to help Habitat and our families," Cole said.

The Youngerman family's new home on Mill Street wasn't built in typical Habitat fashion using volunteer labor and "sweat equity" from the homeowner because time constraints, Cole said.

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A local contractor was paid to build the exact replica of the family's Pearl Street house and finished the job within about 60 days, Cole said.

A typical Habitat for Humanity home appraises for $85,000 to $105,000, depending on its location.

The organization is now working on three new homes -- 345 N. Fountain and 325 S. Ellis in Cape Girardeau and 728 Hickory in Jackson -- it expects to be completed by mid-2011,

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department is now using many of the empty homes at the casino site for training on ventilation practices and forcible entry techniques, said training coordinator Mike Ramsey. Firefighters may also do some rescue work with double imaging cameras and are working with the state fire marshal to coordinate a sprinkler system demonstration.

Cape Girardeau police have had reports of suspicious people around the now vacant properties, said Darin Hickey, public information officer.

"We are keeping an eye around the area because we know people are going to be interested," he said.

Specific dates for demolition of the remaining buildings at the casino site have not yet been set, Haynes said.

mmiller@semissourian.com

388-3646

Pertinent address:

202 Pearl St., Cape Girardeau, MO

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