Howard's demolition to close Broadway late tonight

Broadway in Cape Girardeau will be closed as a safety precaution late tonight while the old Howard's Athletic Goods building at 835 Broadway is razed.

The building is being demolished as part of a larger project by Southeast Missouri State University to add parking for students and staff.

Broadway and Pacific Street just north of Broadway will close between 10 and 11 p.m. while crews demolish the building, said Jaime Chier with Premier Demolition, Inc., the company tearing down the old Howard's. The only traffic allowed in the area will be emergency traffic.

Chier said he doesn't expect any pieces of the building to hit the street, but if they did, "brick hits pavement like glass, it keeps sliding and flying forever."

The street should be open to traffic again around 1 or 2 a.m., Chier said.

Crews began demolishing the building this morning, starting with the north side of the structure, opposite the side that faces Broadway. But demolition has now been halted until tonight so that the street can be closed.

Pertinent address:

835 Broadway