One historic Cape building saved; another to come down this week

Two century-old Cape Girardeau buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places appear headed for opposite fates -- one has been given a shot at renewed life while the other is slated for demolition this week.

The old Jefferson School, the city's last segregated black schoolhouse, is now owned by Prodigy Leadership Academy, whose director said Monday they hope to rehabilitate the 107-year-old building into a location for their growing school.

Meanwhile, demolition of the 105-year-old building at 501 Broadway, purchased earlier this year by Trinity Lutheran Church, is scheduled to begin Wednesday, according to the excavating company hired to bring it down.

"You win some, you lose some," said Scott House, chairman of the city's Historic Preservation Commission. "It's wonderful news about the school. That's fantastic. But losing a historic building is not what you hope for with the Broadway building."

The old Jefferson School seemed to be headed for the same fate as the building on Broadway. The previous owners, Guy and Rene Tomasino, tried to sell the building for years and then last month were given 30 days by Cape Girardeau officials to either bring it up to code or tear it down. At one point, the Tomasinos' real estate agent, Jane Clark, said the building would be torn down the following week.

But during the week of Thanksgiving, the Tomasinos gave the condemned building to Prodigy Leadership Academy, a small Christian school on Broadway, Clark said Monday. The dilapidated building, which was shut down after the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education decision in 1954, is more than 60 percent damaged, city reports show, with a roof with a large hole in it and substandard wiring, foundation, porches and plumbing.

On Monday, Prodigy Leadership Academy director and founder Russell Grammer said they're eyeing the building as a potential replacement for their existing 3-year-old school at 232 Broadway. Enrollment has increased from the first year's 19 to 42 this year.

This building at 501 Broadway with an attached rear building at 117 N. Middle St. in the Broadway-Middle Commercial Historic District in Cape Girardeau was recently purchased by Trinity Lutheran Church. (Laura Simon)

He said it was too early to discuss time frames or how much rehabilitating the building would cost. The school's board will be assessing the building and trying to figure out how best to proceed over the coming months, he said.

"We want to fuse our long-term vision with the use of the space," he said. "Our school was started with a leap of faith and we're growing and thriving. We're trusting God to lead us in the next phase in our journey."

City officials said Monday they were willing to work with the new owners. City planner Ryan Shrimplin said the building is still technically going through the condemnation process. The deadline for the original order to repair or demolish passed Nov. 27. But he said they would work with the new owners to establish a new deadline.

But time appears to have run out for the building on Broadway. Trinity Lutheran Church hired Sabre Excavating of Thebes, Ill., to tear it down, and the church was issued a 45-day demolition permit Nov. 8. David Renshaw of Sabre said Monday he plans to start tearing the building down Wednesday in a process that will take about a week.

Broadway closures in front of the building shouldn't be necessary until Friday at the earliest, Renshaw said. Church leaders have said they are considering replacing the building -- which features a prominent mural on one side -- with green space, parking or a mix of both. In its long history, the building has been a mercantile company, an auto parts store and more recently SEMO Video.

While some have lamented the loss of such a historic building, Renshaw on Monday defended the church's decision.

"This building was no good to start with," Renshaw said. "It would have been a major, major undertaking to repair the structure. There's just nothing there. There's no reason for the public to be upset with the church."

The old Jefferson School is listed on the National Register of Historic Places individually, while the Broadway building is a part of the Broadway-Middle Commercial Historic District.

smoyers@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

501 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO

731 Jefferson Ave., Cape Girardeau, MO