NEW TOWNHOUSE SETS STAGE FOR ADDED DOWNTOWN LIVING

Downtown living is making an impressive comeback in Cape Girardeau.

Long ago, many of Cape Girardeau's residents lived downtown.

That's about all there was.

As recently as the mid-20th century, some old-timers scoffed at the idea that people would keep moving into such remote new neighborhoods as Sunset, Clark and Woodlawn Streets.

But, people were moving.

Over the next few decades, new neighborhoods were born in the suburbs, to the north and west of town, which make up a large population base.

Now, however, a nationwide trend is luring a diverse population -- singles, couples, retirees -- back downtown to Main Street.

And, in downtown Cape Girardeau, that means upscale loft dwellings, second-floor apartments which overlook the Mississippi River, and a new four-family condo.

Aquamsi Bluff Townhouse, a four-family condominium, is expected to be ready for occupancy in the 200 block of South Spanish this fall.

This town has grown because of the river, says one downtown resident, and "it's great to be able to enjoy the scenery of the river. You can walk out of your door and feel the sense of the downtown neighborhoods."

Cape Girardeau's riverfront draws a lot of attention, from both tourists and townspeople.

The Aquamsi Bluff Townhouse is the first new residential structure in the immediate downtown area in almost a quarter-century, when new apartment buildings went up in the 100 block of South Lorimier, the 100 block of South Spanish and 400 block of North Themis.

The two-level condos are being built so that residents of all four of the 2,000-square-foot apartments will have a river view.

The condos will have total security and electrical gates, with plenty of guest parking. The luxurious $250,000 apartments will feature two and a half bathrooms each, two bedrooms, and an extra-large double-car garage.

The building includes two apartments on each level, and will be tiered so all residents will have a river view from the living room, kitchen, and master bedroom of each apartment.

The river view will be magnificent, said the developer.

Three of the four condos have been sold. The property was bought in 1976.

Downtown architect John Boardman designed the complex, which is being constructed by Moge Construction.

The growing number of people choosing downtown living in Cape Girardeau is a revival of an old practice. At the turn of the century many people, most of them business owners, lived over businesses in downtown areas.

Today, renovators are investing money in second-story space for modern apartments. Many have rustic touches, like original hardwood floors, and many have views of the river.

Eight loft apartments, ranging from 1,000- to 1,200-square feet, have been added to the second floor of the former Montgomery Ward building, a two-level structure, which expands an entire block between Water and Main streets, along Independence Street.

The loft apartments have entrances off Main and Water streets, along with a freight elevator for moving furniture.

The apartments have one large bedroom, full kitchen, large living room and bath.

Apartments have been added on second-floor levels of other downtown buildings . Luxury apartments were installed at the Alliance Building on S. Spanish St., and at the former Plaza Tire Building, which now houses offices for Capaha Bank, at the corner of Main and Independence streets.

The demand for downtown living is rising in a number of metropolitan areas like Kansas city, Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco, and even New York.

A Kansas City area survey found that there were few vacancies for downtown living space. The Downtown Council estimated the city's downtown population of 9,000 could double if empty office buildings and other structures were converted into urban apartments.

The Port Authority wants to bring apartments and offices to a now largely undeveloped area on the south side of the Missouri River.