PERMIT US TO SAY: BUILDING IS BOOMING

Groundwork is under way at the site of a new, $3.2 million Lowes Home Center, which will open this year in Cape West Business Park alongside Interstate 55 south of Route K.

"The permit was issued last week," said city Building Inspector Rick Murray. "This is one of the two big permits we've been expecting."

Lowes, headquartered at North Wilkesboro, N.C., will operate a 115,000-square-foot retail center featuring lines of lawn and garden equipment; building materials; electrical, plumbing and electronics supplies; appliances and more.

The firm, which operates more than 300 stores in 20 states, is a Fortune 500 company and one of the nation's top 50 retailers.

Commercial and new-home construction, expansions and remodeling of property in Cape Girardeau are at a feverish pitch, but the city would be hard-pressed to surpass the banner year of 1992, when permits were issued for more than $47 million in construction, almost doubling the $25.8 million of 1991.

During the first half of 1993, Cape Girardeau has issued hundreds of permits 51 of them for new homes calling for construction of just over $11 million, far off the $20 million pace at the same time a year ago.

"These figures, however, don't include some early July activity," said Murray. "Throw in the Lowes permit and some others during the first 10 days of the month, and we're past $14 million in a hurry."

Murray said the city is expecting some other big contracts during the second half of the year, which is off to a good start. "We've already issued permits in July for a half-dozen new homes calling for more than $700,000."

Besides the new homes and Lowes building, a dozen other permits have been issued calling for more than $280,000 in construction, shoving the early July total to $4.2 million.

One of the big permits expected to be issued soon will be that for Sam's Club, a Wal-Mart operation that is expected to open here early next year.

Sam's Club is looking to an early-1994 start for a 135,000-square-foot structure adjacent to the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Cape Girardeau.

The 1992 construction total was pushed to record proportions with the $7 million permit for the Health Services Corporation of America on Mount Auburn Road and a $13 million contract for improvements and expansion at Southeast Missouri Hospital.

"Those two projects accounted for almost half of the 1992 totals," said Murray.

Permit lists include single-family residences, apartment buildings, commercial buildings and additions to residences and commercial structures. They also include swimming pools, decks, garages, carports and signs.

Murray said he is pleased with construction activity here.

"It shows that the community is growing," he said. "Most categories were up last year. We issued 89 one-family home permits, and that category could experience an increase in 1993."

By the end of June, 1993, a total of 51 home-building permits had been issued in the amount of $5,790,500, for an average of about $113,500 per home. Counting the early July totals, 57 permits have been issued in the amount of more than $6.2 million.

Twenty-six home-building permits were issued the first quarter January, February and March of 1993. New-home activity picked up in April with a dozen permits and continued through May with 13 permits.

Two $1 million projects are included in the 1993 first-half totals, both of them medical offices on Mount Auburn Road.

Single-family residential construction permits are up in Jackson for the first six months of the year.

Following is a look at building activity in Cape Girardeau for the first six months of 1993, the record year of 1992, and the rest of the 1990s.

1993 (First six months): 51 new houses at a cost of $4,567,762 (average $113,500); three duplexes, $240,000; additions to residences and business buildings, $467,944; commercial buildings, $4,567,762. Total: $11,066,206.

1992 - (record year): 89 new houses at a cost of $10,600,000 (average $120,000); nine apartment or duplex units, $879,000; additions to residences and business buildings, $7,300,000; commercial buildings, $29,217,699. Total: $47,996,699.

1991 - 70 new houses at a cost of $8,080,000 (average $112,000); no apartment units; additions to residences and business buildings, $2,112,892; commercial buildings, $16,705,450. Total: $25,818,350.

1990 82 new houses at a cost of $6,176,051 (average $75,300); 84 apartment units, $1,662,000; additions to residences, $345,131; commercial building and additions, $17,333,237. Total: $25,517,419.