PANEL ADOPTS PLAN FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION

Cape Girardeau could be steps closer to preserving its historic buildings and commercial districts with a new historic-preservation plan.

During a meeting Wednesday night, the city's Historic Preservation Commission adopted a plan written by Phillip Thomason. Fewer than 30 people attended the 115-minute meeting at City Hall.

Thomason has been working with the commission for the past year to make recommendations about how best to preserve the architecture and historic buildings in the city. Now the commission must decide how best to present the plan to city council members and the community.

"We have to anticipate the questions so we can have the answers," said Brian Driscoll, chairman.

The plan in no way resembles an ordinance. It is just a tool that helps the commission focus on its goals and preservation efforts.

Part of the plan includes nominating two commercial districts for the National Register of Historic Places. An L-shaped area that includes the 100 blocks of North Main Street and Broadway and the Haarig district of Good Hope and Sprigg streets would be nominated.

The commission has applied for a $30,000 grant to complete the work. Another component of the grant is a survey of 150 commercial and residential buildings in the city, with boundaries from Themis Street on the north, Morgan Oak on the south, Water Street on the east and Middle Street on the west.

Once the surveys are complete, the commission might have more properties worthy of National Register nominations, Thomason said.

Commercial buildings are the focus for this year's grant application, but residential buildings likely would be next on the list for preservation.

There are many buildings downtown that could be eligible individually, but a group nomination would be useful in renewing economic development, he said.

Creating conservation zones would help preserve the historic areas that aren't yet designated for the National Register, he said. Such zones also help promote cultural or heritage tourism and increase property values in those areas.

"It shows what the downtown can offer and is part of a trend for showing the attractiveness of the historical environment," Thomason said.