Old Town Cape honors people, businesses who 'make our downtown community a better place'

Recognizing accomplishments of the past year and looking forward to continued growth, Old Town Cape held its annual awards dinner Thursday night at the Century Casino Event Center.

“This is an opportunity to celebrate some wonderful people that have gone above and beyond to make our downtown community a better place,” OTC board president Danny Essner told the gathering of more than 300, including downtown merchants, residents and community leaders.

The past year, Essner said, was one of celebration and change for the downtown renovation and development organization, which marked its 20th anniversary in 2019.

Old Town Cape once again achieved national and state accreditation in 2019 as a Main Street Program and was instrumental in the revitalization of Ivers Square, formerly Courthouse Park, including renovation of the Ivers Square gazebo and the installation of a U.S. Colored Troop monument there.

The organization also worked with city officials, the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Cape Girardeau Community Improvement District to develop strategies and programs to promote downtown development.

“A large part of Old Town Cape’s mission is to create an environment in which businesses can be successful,” Essner said, noting that last year 28 new businesses were established in the downtown district, which helped the area achieve a net gain of 93 jobs and more than $2.2 million of downtown investment.

The most significant change for Old Town Cape in 2019, Essner said, was at the leadership level, where, after 13 successful years as executive director, Marla Mills stepped down and was succeeded by Liz Robertson Haynes.

“A highlight of my job is meeting with our downtown business owners and investors,” Haynes told the dinner attendees. “Their dedication to making our downtown the best possible place to live, work and play motivates me every single day.”

Several individuals and organizations were recognized at the dinner with one of Old Town Cape’s annual awards.

“The awardees this year embody our vision for a downtown that is thriving, diverse, cultured, historic and the pulse of the community,” Haynes said.

The Charles L. Hutson Visionary Award, recognizing a person or organization demonstrating an outstanding commitment to the revitalization and future of downtown, was presented to James Stapleton for his work with the Marquette Tech Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to improve quality of life and accelerate economic development by enhancing technology in downtown Cape Girardeau.

The Business Excellence Award, presented to a downtown business for its community involvement and downtown support, was given to Burrito-Ville. The popular restaurant on the corner of Broadway and North Pacific Street was recognized for its “give back” nights and other forms of community service and for its consistent participation in Old Town Cape events.

Architect Phillip B. Smith was presented with the John Boardman Excellence in Historic Rehabilitation Award. The award honors the efforts of individuals, businesses and organizations for their preservation of historic structures. In 2017, Smith and his wife, Kimberly, purchased a 130-year-old home at 423 Themis St. and turned it into his architectural firm’s offices.

The Judith Ann Crow Residential Historic Rehabilitation Award was presented to Centurion Development LLC for its rehabilitation of the 95-year-old Lorimier Apartments complex, creating a dozen high-end loft apartments in the downtown area. The renovation project retained many of the building’s original elements, including windows and brickwork to preserve the building’s historic integrity and character.

Three individuals — Bonnie Kipper, Denise Lincoln and Steven Hoffman — were recognized as Old Town Cape’s Volunteers of the Year. The three were instrumental in bringing the U.S. Colored Troop monument to Ivers Square, recognizing the historic contributions of Cape Girardeau’s African American community and adding balance to Cape Girardeau’s Civil War story.

And finally, Excellence in Revitalization Through Placemaking Awards were given to Rocky and Laurie Everett and First Presbyterian Church. The Everetts were recognized for the artwork added to the Indie House and Annie Laurie’s, both at the intersection of Broadway and Frederick Street, while the church was honored for its creation of Peace Park on the corner of Broadway and Spanish Street, immediately east of the church.

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