Hotel renovation behind schedule

Behind plastic-covered windows and behind schedule, construction workers -- in coats and gloves to ward off the cold -- continue to transform a dilapidated hotel on Broadway into a state office building.

Next week, the work should be even more visible as construction begins on enclosing the rooftop seventh floor as a penthouse addition. The space could be used for commercial office or a restaurant, project planners said.

Originally scheduled for "substantial completion" at the end of last year, the Cape Girardeau City Council Monday night granted an extension for completing the project to Oct. 31. But project manager Bill Whitlow said Tuesday that contractor Prost Builders expects to finish the job by July 1 at the latest.

Whitlow and real estate agent Tom M. Meyer, who is handling the leasing of the building, said state officials ended up wanting more of the building for government offices. Rather than 60 percent of the space, the state of Missouri will now lease about 70 percent, Meyer said. The rest will be leased for commercial offices and retail businesses.

City officials said space changes and state historic preservation requirements, such as keeping the original window frames, slowed down the project. Whitlow said the contractor will place the original metal window frames back in the windows. Double-pane glass will be installed on the inside of the window frames.

"It's like putting storm windows on the inside instead of on the outside," he said.

'We gutted everything'

Whitlow estimated construction work is nearly half completed on the building, which stills retains its original tile flooring and its concrete support pillars. The flooring is currently protected by plywood boards.

"Except for the pillars, we gutted everything," Whitlow said.

Steel framing for the walls has been erected throughout building in preparation for partitioning floors into offices and hallways.

The one-time hotel will be renamed Marquette Towers.

The Spanish-style hotel opened in 1928 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. After being vacant since 1981, the hotel was condemned in 2000. Prost Builders bought the hotel in 2002 from Ruby Bullock and began a $6 million renovation project.

The project also includes renovating a brick building at 221 N. Fountain, across the street from the 76-year-old hotel building. Whitlow said the Fountain Street building will be turned into commercial offices later this year.

The brick building will be renamed the Marquette Centre, and the entire development will be referred to as the Marquette Plaza, Meyer said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123