Old Town Cape is gaining reputation in state, national revitalization movement, director says

Old Town Cape is one of six nationally accredited Main Street organizations in Missouri. The organization has been accredited through the National Trust for Historic Preservation�s National Main Street Center since 2005.

�We have become known as the �If you don�t know who to ask, ask Old Town Cape� organization for downtown,� executive director Marla Mills said during the First Friday Coffee breakfast meeting at Isle Casino Cape Girardeau.

Mills said the organization is part of a nationwide movement to revitalize downtown areas and make them more vibrant and sustainable communities.

As part of that movement, almost 53,000 votes made possible a grant to revitalize historic Ivers Square at the Common Pleas Courthouse in downtown Cape Girardeau. Some of the improvements that will come with the more than $127,000 grant, Mills said, are adding a roof to the gazebo, beautification of the grounds, refurbishing the fountain and the addition of �an interpretive piece� to commemorate the Ivers family.

Mills said the votes that made the grant possible are just a small part of a four-point approach to that revitalization.

Through organization, promotion, design and economic vitality, Old Town Cape has big plans to continue building downtown Cape Girardeau into a prosperous community, she said.

As a goal for the new year, Mills said the organization has been working on its plan to ensure the successful future of Old Town Cape�s special projects and events.

Mills said the organization gets to be the �downtown brand manager,� engaging social media to continue building the image of downtown and bringing more people to its shops, restaurants and public spaces. Some of those promotional items include a recent video encouraging the downtown experience and a new website, to which Mills gave Element 74 and rustmedia credit.

As a way to continue rolling out improvements, Mills said Old Town Cape plans to keep adding new public art, alley improvements, new reader boards for the Wall of Fame and more to upgrade the design and aesthetics of downtown.

But it�s not just the look of downtown Cape Girardeau the organization has been working to improve. Mills said the organization�s focus on economic vitality of the river town is what makes its partnership with the chamber of commerce so harmonious.

�We think of economic development as a means to historic preservation, and the chamber thinks of historic preservation as a means to economic development,� Mills said.

As part of that economic development, Mills said Old Town Cape finalized in 2017 an updated economic strategic plan for the city that will help guide downtown development for the next five to seven years.

Mills said this plan is an important way for the city to continue its growth through new businesses such as Codefi and Baristas Coffee Bar in the historic Marquette Tower, as well as the new hotel planned to open across the street. She added this kind of downtown success has been showing significant investment numbers.

�In just the first three quarters of 2017, there were over $9 million in investment in the downtown area with over $7 million of that being private investment,� Mills said. �That compares to about $4.6 million in total in 2016.�

The National Main Street Conference will be held in Missouri for the first time this year, Mills said. She added Old Town Cape will be on the planning committee for the conference and in charge of volunteer support.

The conference will in Kansas City from March 26 to 28.