Rex Rust receives Old Town Cape's Charles L. Hutson Visionary Award

On its final day of awards, Old Town Cape Inc. named Rex Rust its 2020 Charles L. Hutson Visionary Award recipient Saturday.

According to the award announcement, Old Town Cape presents the award annually to a "person or persons who have demonstrated an outstanding and thorough commitment to the revitalization and future development of the Old Town Cape district."

"I'm very honored, humbled, particularly knowing some of the great names affiliated with this award in years past," Rust said in a video accompanying the announcement. "And, of course, knowing Charles and loving him and his whole family. It really is humbling."

Rust is co-president of Rust Communications — which owns the Southeast Missourian — and is helping revitalize part of downtown Cape Girardeau with the investment in an entire block of Broadway. Construction ongoing in the street's 400 block — the Rialto Retail and Residential Development — will house four businesses and multiple condominiums on the second level.

"This particular project, 430 (Broadway), we've got some of those businesses and individuals putting their hard work and money at risk," Rust said. "We've got Speck Pizza and Street Food, we're excited about that; Kenny's Flippin' Burgers; Brickwood Boutique; and we've got a new retail concept we're just about to announce. Wish I could announce it now, but we're extremely excited about that. That will fill out the first floor.

"We've got a great community space in the basement, and then we will have some really cool apartments on the second floor."

In addition to the redevelopment work, Rust serves on the Old Town Cape Board of Directors, the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and participates in many volunteer activities.

"I very much have a love affair with Cape, particularly downtown," Rust said. "It started off when I was younger growing up less than a mile away from Broadway. So many memories running carefree downtown. It's really cool to fast forward, and later in life, I'm living in town and now being a part of helping to carry the torch on developing and helping downtown be vibrant and sustainable."

To view videos and read announcements from each of Old Town Cape's award recipients, visit www.Facebook.com/OldTownCape.

2020 Old Town Cape awards recipients:

• Volunteer of the Year Award — Danny Essner
• Distinguished Service Award — Chris and Jarra Hutson
• Business Excellence Award — Pastimes Antiques
• John Boardman Excellence in Historic Rehabilitation Award — Riverside Pottery Studio
• Judith Ann Crow Residential Rehabilitation Award — Cottage at the Market
• Resiliency Award — Corner Grocery Store
• Charles L. Hutson Visionary Award — Rex Rust