New home for justice

The new $49.3 million courthouse in Cape Girardeau will be more than a bigger and better home for the federal judicial system in Southeast Missouri. It will also "strengthen the foundation of justice" in the area, said U.S. Sen Kit Bond, by providing citizens a better avenue to the courts, which is the U.S. Constitution's recourse for people to protect their life, liberty and property.

Bond was the keynote speaker at Monday's groundbreaking ceremony, which was the official kickoff of construction that will actually start in mid-December and is expected to be finished in early 2006.

"Though it will be beautiful, it is merely steel, bricks and mortar," Bond told the more than 100 people who attended. "What makes it so much more is its place in giving the people access to that third and equally important branch of government."

The ceremony had all the feel of a historic event, with Southeast Missouri State University's Show Band providing music, the Marine Corps League presenting the colors and a crowd of dignitaries that included federal judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Sr.; Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr., chief justice of the Missouri Supreme Court; U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson; Mayor Jay Knudtson; and master of ceremonies Brad Scott, the regional administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration, the agency in charge of building and maintaining federal buildings.

Bond said that one of the goals he shares with Emerson -- both worked to secure funding for the building -- is to make government accessible to the people. Bond said it took him a considerable amount of time and discussion to get the Department of Justice to establish a U.S. Attorney's office in Southeast Missouri in 1991.

"But we managed it," he said. "I don't know if they saw the light or felt the heat."

An artist's rendering of the new federal courthouse building to be constructed at 555 Independence in Cape Girardeau.

On site about Dec. 15

Buster Rooser, the GSA's assistant regional administrator for public building service, said contractor PCL Construction of Denver will start moving onto the site about Dec. 15, though it won't actually start "moving dirt" until after Jan. 8. He said GSA expects the building to be finished in January 2006.

The building, to be located at the corner of Independence and Frederick streets west of city hall, will have three courtrooms and house the 97 employees of the federal court and other related government agencies.

Knudtson, who was one of the guest speakers, said the day was an important benchmark among many the city has seen recently.

"This is a historic day in Cape Girardeau, another historic day," Knudtson said. "There's a lot going on. This is a monumental event."

The Marquette Hotel is also under renovation, the university's River Campus art school is currently under construction and the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge has a scheduled completion date of Dec. 13.

"We're glad to have them as new neighbors," Knudtson said, referring to city hall, which is near the site of the new federal building. "This is property that may have not been used otherwise. Now to have a government center there, and that's what it will be, is pretty special."

The dignity of the ceremony was briefly interrupted when the wind caused a sketch behind Bond to fall and hit him in the head.

"I won't remember this any longer than the next GSA appropriation bill," Bond quipped.

Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Sr. spoke, giving a brief history of the federal judicial system in Southeast Missouri. He also again made the point that the new building is needed.

"About 250 cases are being handled at any given time," he said.

Design disagreement

The project, which has been in planning stages for nearly a decade, was beset by design problems in recent years. The GSA in 2001 canceled its contract with a Chicago architectural firm for design of the new courthouse after having already spent $500,000. The design featured an atrium and skylight that would be left open in the summer. The atrium wouldn't have been air-conditioned. Emerson shot down the plan, saying she wouldn't vote to spend money on a courthouse without air conditioning.

That disagreement was touched upon briefly at Monday's groundbreaking.

"We've shown we know how to make a building the wrong way," said Scott, the GSA administrator. "But now let's show we know how to make a building the right way. We plan on doing that."

smoyers@semissourian.com

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