LAST OF FLOOD BUYOUT DEMOLITION TO BEGIN

Only 24 buildings remain to be demolished as part of Cape Girardeau's 1995 flood buyout program.

Once the wrecking ball swings on those structures -- including 23 houses and an old service station -- the flood buyout program will be completed.

In addition, nine vacant lots will be cleaned up.

"That'll be the last of the buyout program," said Ken Eftink, who oversees the program for the city.

The Cape Girardeau City Council awarded Nip Kelley Equipment Co. Inc. the contract for the third and final phase of demolition under the buyout program. Kelley submitted the low bid of $78,605 for the contract.

A definite start date for demolition work hasn't been set, said Eftink, but he hopes the houses will start coming down late this week or early next week.

The demolition should be complete by the end of August, he said.

"The sooner, the better," Eftink said.

Asbestos found in the 23 houses to be demolished was removed under a previous contract, Eftink said.

The city had originally awarded a contract for the demolition work in May, but the contractor, Moore Mechanical Contracting of Whitewater, was unable to provide necessary bond and insurance information, Eftink said.

Most of the houses to be torn down are in the Red Star neighborhood, which received substantial damage in the 1993 and 1995 floods.

In addition to the houses, the former Eaker's Service Station building at 915 N. Main St. will be demolished.

The service station's demolition will not be funded through the State Emergency Management Agency or Federal Emergency Management Agency, Eftink said. Those agencies only fund demolition of residential properties damaged by flooding.

The city will receive approximately $13,000 from the Missouri Department of Economic Development to pay for the demolition of the building itself and asbestos abatement, Eftink said.

"We've had an inspector look at the building, and asbestos has been identified," he said. "We need to remove part of the roof to confirm how much asbestos is there."

In addition, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources will pay to remove the underground petroleum storage tanks and remove any contaminated soil or other hazardous materials at the site.

"It's kind of a unique situation," Eftink said.

The service station had "basically been abandoned" and has stood vacant for some time, he said.

In Cape Girardeau, 151 homes were damaged by the 1993 and 1995 floods. FEMA designated 114 of those homes eligible for the buyout program.

The city has acquired 94 of the 114 eligible homes, and the owners of the remaining 20 homes opted not to participate in the buyout.

The city has received nearly $2.5 million in state and federal funds for the buyout program, which includes the demolition of the 94 eligible homes and cleanup of 16 vacant lots.

PROPERTIES TO BE DEMOLISHED

Nip Kelley Equipment Co. Inc. has a $78,605 contract with Cape Girardeau to tear down 24 structures and clean up nine vacant lots as the final phase of the city's flood buyout program. Included in the contract:

1021 N. Spanish St.

1132 N. Spanish St.

410 Second St.

419 Second St.

301 Third St.

304 Third St.

915 N. Main St.

1100 N. Main St.

1211 N. Main St.

1220 N. Main St.

1226 N. Main St.

1230 N. Main St.

1230 N. Main St.

1236 N. Main St.

1330 N. Main St.

1211 N. Water St.

1327 N. Water St.

1331 N. Water St.

1417 N. Water St.

1419 N. Water St.

1501 Hill St.

1015 N. Lorimier (lot)

204 North End Blvd. (lot)

1006 N. Spanish St. (lot)

1420 N. Water St. (lot)

1445 Rand St. (lot)

2396 Highway 177

2452 Highway 177 (lot)

721 S. Fountain St.

743 S. Fountain St.

755 S. Fountain St. (lot)

607 Poplar St. (lot)

2000 Third St. (lot)

2823 S. Sprigg St.