More than $2.6 million funneled to Cape Girardeau since start of DREAM initiative

Since Cape Girardeau was designated a Downtown Revitalization and Economic Assistance for Missouri community in 2006, it has received more than $2.6 million in federal and state grants to help with local improvement projects, according to a report recently presented to the city council.

The funds helped pay for community programs, like Tunes at Twilight and the Cape Girardeau Storytelling Festival, and helped with construction projects including additional riverfront parking and public restroom facilities and converting the former Schultz School into affordable senior housing.

"The DREAM designation has helped with grant-writing; we don't know to what extent yet, but having that designation has enhanced the chances of future grant funding," said Mayor Harry Rediger. "I'm really excited about a number of projects that could result through this initiative."

Biggest project yet

The largest DREAM-assisted project so far is the extension of Fountain Street, from Morgan Oak to William streets, now under construction. The city received more than half a million dollars in federal and state funds with assistance from the DREAM Initiative for that project. Total cost of the Fountain Street project is $1.2 million, with the portion not covered by grants coming from TTF-3.

The DREAM Initiative also assisted the community in receiving tax credits for the Discovery Playhouse Children's Museum, provided funds to assist with repairs of downtown homes owned by low-income individuals, and helped secure a grant through the Missouri Heritage Properties program to replace the heating and air-conditioning system in the Common Pleas Courthouse.

The DREAM Initiative program, started by former governor Matt Blunt, provides selected Missouri communities access to technical and financial assistance to help them to accomplish their downtown revitalization plans.

"The biggest benefit in the end is having a plan that we can use to direct development in a way that makes sense overall rather than piece by piece," said Marla Mills, executive director of Old Town Cape. "The plan really directs my thought process when I talk to people and think about development in terms of what we need and what we don't need,"

As part of the DREAM Initiative, the city of Cape Girardeau, in partnership with the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce and Old Town Cape, created a downtown strategic plan that was adopted by the city council in July 2009. Last fall, the plan received honorable mention as an Outstanding Plan from the Missouri Chapter of the American Planning Association. It's designed to guide downtown development for the next five to 10 years, Mills said.

Work just beginning

The community officially completed its DREAM Initiative in February of this year, but the work on most projects associated with the downtown strategic plan are just beginning.

"Some things are conceptual, still visionary, they still need to be planned," said Tim Arbeiter, vice president of community development at the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce. Increasing residential development around the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus, enhancing Broadway and attracting a hotel to downtown are examples of items included in the plan that still have many details to be worked out, Arbeiter said.

An additional $4 million has been requested for projects including a community development block grant for building rehabilitation at 635 Broadway in partnership with Prestige Development LLC and TTF-4 road improvements for Broadway and William Street. Funding also is being sought for new downtown sidewalks in the near future.

If downtown Cape Girar­deau were to see a casino development in the future, Mills said, it would affect the downtown strategic plan created as part of the DREAM Initiative but wouldn't change it drastically.

The plan is posted online at www.OldTownCape.org.

mmiller@semissourian.com

388-3646

Pertinent address:

418 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO