OLD TOWN CAPE: AMBITIOUS VISIONS FOR MAIN STREET

Old Town Cape has some ambitious visions for its Main Street revitalization program in downtown Cape Girardeau.

* Restoration of historic buildings.

* Fully-occupied storefronts featuring a balanced mix of restaurants, retail and entertainment uses.

* A park-like riverbank area with access for hiking and biking.

* Pedestrian friendly environment.

* Improved transportation between areas.

* Enhanced streetscape, with new lighting, trees and street furniture.

* Various festivals and events.

Cape Girardeau became a Main Street community in February, when Gov. Mel Carnahan named the 13th and 14th cities in the state to start the Main Street revitalization program.

Cape Girardeau and Fayette are the latest Missouri cities to join the program.

Cape Girardeau is ready for the program, said Judith Lang, who heads an Old Town Cape Committee which is developing the Main Street program. "People have been talking about this program the past five or six years. "The Cape Girardeau program is currently seeking a Main Street Manager.

"We have three applications," said Lang. "The deadline for applying has been extended to June 30, and we hope to have a manager intact in August."

This is about a month later than original plans. The previous application deadline was June 15. Old Town Cape is advertising in a National Main Street publication and on the Internet.

One of the most successful tools for a commercial district revitalization is a common vision for what the district should be in the future, said Lang. In the case of the Cape Girardeau Main Street project, that a vision has to include three separate areas the downtown district; Haarig area, and upper Broadway.

"The thing we have to do is to think of all of these areas as the Main Street District, not as three separate areas," said Lang.

The goal for Old Town Cape is to tie the three areas together, which is why the boundaries overlap. City Manager Michael Miller, also a member of the Old Town Cape board, said earlier that the real strength of the program is that it will bring the areas together.

The best way to bring unity is to find ways to attract businesses that will spark more economic development, he said.

"This is something that will tie in the three downtown areas and make them function as one force," agree Lang and Miller.

Sheri Stuart, Main Street representative from the National Main Street Center in Washington, D.C., was in Cape Girardeau recently to help develop a vision statement.

Participants at the recent special vision session focused and discussed concerns of the three separate districts of OTC. Assets, liabilities, goals and objectives of the three areas were discussed.

"Based on these three reports we will develop one vision statement for the entire OTC area." said Lang.

Accompanying Stuart here for the vision session were Stephanie Redman, manager of Technical Services of the National Main Street Center; Elizabeth Freese, architect for the historic preservation program of the Missouri department of Natural Resources Division of State Parks; and Randy Gray, coordinator for the Main Street Program of the Missouri Department of Economic Development.

"Main Streets in small and large towns and cities face enormous challenges," said Stuart. "The National Main Street Center can help those districts organize your program, develop a fund raising plan, create a vision for the future of your Main Street."

The special vision statement session here revealed numerous assets throughout the Main Street district -- the river view, historic structures and the history of the district, some wide streets and open spaces, etc.

But, there were some concerns:

* High crime and few businesses and jobs in the Haarig area.

* Building problems and vacancies along upper Broadway.

* Empty retail spaces, and "slumlords" in the riverfront commercial area.

* Lack of public sentiment for the area.

* Few businesses and jobs in some areas.

People in attendance were enthusiastic in discussing the goals and objectives in each of the three areas which will make "Main Street, Cape Girardeau."

Improved river views, a park-like riverbank area with access for hiking and biking, streetscape amenities such as lighting, trees, sidewalk improvements, and historic restorations were among objectives in the downtown area, along with monthly activities to generate involvement throughout the area.