Newspaper building given national register status

When it was built in 1924, the publishers of the Southeast Missourian saw their new building on Broadway as a visible symbol of their commitment to community beautification.

Today, that exterior architecture -- Spanish-style roof, ornamental balconies, arched windows and glazed-tile walls -- and the newspaper's impact on Cape Girardeau history have landed the building on the National Register of Historic Places even as the newspaper plans to make extensive improvements to the structure.

The building at 301 Broadway officially was added to the national register on June 1, but the state historic preservation office only recently received notification from the National Park Service, historic preservation consultant Terri Foley said Wednesday.

Being on the national register doesn't limit property owners when it comes to building renovations, Foley said. It does allow property owners to qualify for tax credits in renovating historic buildings, she said.

Jon Rust, publisher of the Southeast Missourian, said federal and state tax credits will help in renovating the structure. The project is expected to cost more than $1 million.

"This is a beautiful building in excellent condition, but its air conditioning, heating, electrical and other mechanicals are not up to today's standards," he said Wednesday. "Restoration and updating are needed to create a more efficient infrastructure."

The project will include highly creative interior space for Missourian employees to honor the historic legacy of the building, Rust said.

"We want our folks to love not only what they do, but the environment where they work, too," he said.

The project includes restoring the original front entrance to the Missourian and two of the original bay windows. At least four departments will be shifting from one part of the building to another, he said, as well as the transformation of an elevator from freight to multi-use.

Beginning Monday, customers will have to use a temporary entrance to conduct daily business.

Penzel Construction Co. of Jackson is the contractor on the project. The architect is St. Louis firm Kiku Obata & Co., which has been involved in historic renovations in the Loop area of Delmar in St. Louis and around the country.

The bulk of the renovation work should be completed before Oct. 1, when the newspaper will be host to a community block party to close out its centennial year, Rust said. But some construction work is expected to continue into next year.

The Missourian building is the 18th structure in Cape Girardeau to be placed on the national register, said Foley, who with Dr. Steven Hoffman and several historic preservation students from Southeast Missouri State University helped prepare the application to get the newspaper building on the list. Cape Girardeau also has four historic districts on the national register.

The Naeter brothers -- George, Fred and Harry -- announced their building plans in July 1924, saying that the city deserved "the largest and most ornate printing plant."

The two-story building cost $200,000 to construct.

St. Louis architect Tom Barnett designed the building. "The new building was designed to depict the Naeters' ideas of community beautification and development that they felt strongly about and encouraged," Foley said.

Although the community was established as a result of a Spanish land grant, it had no real Spanish heritage, she said. The town was laid out by a French Canadian.

The Naeter brothers asked Barnett to be meticulous in designing the front doors. "It was important that the doors be not only beautiful but very inviting, encouraging the people of the community to step inside the Missourian's new home," Foley wrote in the national register application, citing the newspaper's own comments made in December 1924.

The building was dedicated on Sept. 11, 1925, on what was the first of a two-day celebration. Hundreds of people attended the dedication, Foley said, including high-ranking state officials, judges and leading editors from across the country.

The celebration included a band concert on the riverfront, dinner aboard the steamer Cape Girardeau and a fireworks display.

The building was expanded on the south side in later years, including a one-story addition in 1934.

The exterior architecture includes two mosaic tile murals, added in 1947. One mural depicts the art of printing and the other showcases the gathering and dissemination of news. Social and cultural icons also are depicted on this second mural, including Harry Truman, evangelist Billy Sunday and band leader John Phillip Sousa.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123