Second phase begins on Ivers Square renovation

The removal of the gazebo roof in Ivers Square marks the beginning of the second phase of a renovation scheduled for completion next year.

Old Town Cape, Inc. special projects coordinator Sarah LaVenture said the project, which is being funded by a $127,650 grant, consists of three parts. The first phase, she said, was blasting and painting the fountain, which was completed earlier this year.

"Right now, we're just waiting to receive our final permits (from the City of Cape Girardeau)," she said. "We're just making sure our I's are dotted and our T's are crossed."

A new roof, designed to be a historically accurate replica of the gazebo's former bandstand-style roof, is being fabricated for installation soon, LaVenture said.

"It's not extravagant or elaborate," LaVenture said. "It's just that we're making it to look like it did in 1956."

Installation of that roof should begin in the next two or three weeks, LaVenture said, but then work will again halt. In the final phase this coming spring, LaVenture said, they will install additional landscaping around the gazebo and fountain, removing the worn existing benches to make way for new seating.

LaVenture said ideally, the renovations would be completed by the time the next Tunes at Twilight season begins, but said that will depend on how the project shapes up over the coming months.

The Partners in Preservation grant, which is funding the renovations, was awarded through the National Trust for Historic Preservation and American Express in partnership with Main Street America. Cape Girardeau's award was one of 11 granted through the program last year, at which time Old Town Cape staff called the award "the biggest grant we've ever gotten."

tgraef@semissourian.com

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