Marquette to be honored with historic preservation award

The former Marquette Hotel will be honored with a Preserve Missouri award at a ceremony March 2 in Jefferson City.

The annual award will honor the Marquette and 12 other projects that exemplify "the preservation of Missouri's rich and diverse collection of historic resources."

The nomination for the award was written by Pam McCutchen, a former Southeast Missouri State University student who developed an affinity for the hotel through a class project and was later a leader in its preservation efforts.

"I think these awards are important because they acknowledge the success of renovation projects across the state and, hopefully, encourage more people and businesses to do the same," she said. "They prove that progress doesn't have to involve tearing down the old and building new. ... Sometimes the treasures in front of you just need a facelift."

Now called Marquette Towers, the 75-year-old building was refurbished by Prost Builders, which went to great lengths to preserve a historically accurate interior and exterior. Contractors made efforts to use the original floor and ceramic tiles, and replicate the decorative ceiling painting in the interior lobby.

Prost purchased the building for approximately $350,000 in 2002 and spent $6 million in renovation.

The Marquette was once known as one of the finest hotels in the Midwest, playing host to the likes of former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt and baseball player Dizzy Dean.

It was designed to pay homage to Cape Girardeau's Spanish heritage with grand towers and a terra cotta exterior. At the time of its opening, it was the tallest structure in town, standing six stories high.

McCutchen said the Marquette has always been special to her.

"When I was a student I would always just walk around to look at that building, I just loved it," she said. "So when a friend of mine called and told me they were going to destroy it, I just knew immediately it was not something I wanted to see torn down."

The building was listed on Preserve Missouri's list of 10 most endangered buildings in 2001 and 2002.

The Marquette now has 55,000 square feet of office space in addition to a restaurant and bar in the lobby.

Other restoration projects honored by Preserve Missouri will be the Moolah Temple in St. Louis and the President Hotel in Kansas City.

tgreaney@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 245