Restaurant, year-round farmers market proposed in downtown Cape

A proposed two-part development would bring a “farm-to-table” restaurant, year-round farmers market and new residential options to North Main Street.

The first proposed development would overhaul the building at 1 N. Main St., formerly Nick’s Family Sports Pub, turning the now-empty structure into a restaurant and event center that also would house a year-round farmers market, according to documents submitted to the city by developers Centurion Development LLC.

Jason Coalter, Centurion Development managing member, said the project has been in the works for about a year.

“Tentatively right now, we’re looking for a ‘farm to fork’ concept,” Coalter said Monday in a telephone interview.

The $2.89 million project will include a two- to three-story restaurant with an open rooftop pavilion overlooking the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge.

A woman takes in the view from a loft at 20 N. Main St. during the downtown loft tour Friday in Cape Girardeau. The building would be part of a large development by Centurian Development LLC.Andrew J. Whitaker

“We’ll have the region’s first rooftop pavilion,” Coalter said. “A covered pavilion for eating and having some drinks overlooking the river and the bridge ... outdoor, but covered.”

He said it’s too early to disclose more specific details on how a year-round farmers market would work but said the goal is to build on the success of the existing Cape Girardeau farmers markets.

“We’re looking for just something different that Cape doesn’t have, you know, ‘clean eating’ and utilizing the region’s growers and also bring new traffic and additional traffic to downtown,” he said. “Build on what the farmers market has already done and continue to make downtown an additional destination.”

The other proposed $1.7 million development would focus on 20 N. Main St., which already houses mostly apartments. Eight existing apartments would be updated, as would two existing commercial spaces. Three new residential spaces would be added.

“Just continue just to bring it to our standards. It had been developed many years ago, and we wanted to improve on what was done,” he said.

People look through rooms at 20 N. Main St. during the downtown loft tour Friday in Cape Girardeau. The building would be part of a large development by Centurian Development LLC.Andrew J. Whitaker

The residential project will be eligible to receive historic tax credits, but not the restaurant.

“We have elected not to go historic on 1 N. Main due to the fact that we would have been unable to do the rooftop development,” Coalter said. “We feel the rooftop pavilion is too important to the project to omit that from the project.”

Centurion Development LLC also owns the buildings that house El Sol and Broussard’s, which Coalter said shows his company’s capabilities in revitalizing a building.

“We have extensive experience and knowledge on how to take an old building and bring new life to it,” he said.

The developments, Coalter said, could be open in the next two years.

“Obviously we’d love to start as soon as possible,” he said. “These projects are one-off projects, not franchises. When we do move forward, we want to move forward swiftly and accurately, and we hope for sure to be open in less than 24 months for sure.

“We’re basically just looking to try and move forward and on something that’s great for Cape but also brings the right character and class to the downtown.”

tgraef@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3627