Study recommends new Cape City Hall on existing site

Cape Girardeau should construct a new city hall on the grounds of the existing facility, an architectural firm advised the city council Monday.

The city hired St. Louis-based Chiodini Architects to study possible sites for a new city hall. The firm looked at the existing property at 401 Independence St. as well as the historic Common Pleas Courthouse and Annex site, and the site of the former police station on Sprigg Street.

The consulting firm has concluded the existing city hall site is the best location. While no vote was taken, Cape Girardeau City Council members agreed with the study.

Architect Christopher Chiodini told the council at Monday�s study session constructing a city hall on the former police station property would not provide sufficient parking spaces to accommodate staff and the general public.

As for the Common Pleas location, the study found it isn�t large enough for use as a city hall and likely would require construction of an expensive parking structure.

Chiodini said the council could renovate the existing city hall and construct an addition, or build a completely new structure.

But he said constructing a new city hall would be less expensive than fixing up the current facility, which was built as an elementary school in 1937.

The building, which comprises less than 23,000 square feet of space, has served as city hall since 1978.

A new city hall would encompass more than 38,000 square feet while the renovation/addition option would total about 42,000 square feet, the study concluded.

Chiodini estimated it would cost $23.8 million to renovate and expand the existing city hall compared to just more than $19 million to build an entirely new building.

The expense associated with renovating and adding onto the current city hall would include more than $1.7 million to make the brick building more earthquake resistant, he told the council.

A new building would operate more efficiently than a renovated structure, Chiodini said.

City manager Scott Meyer told the council, �The numbers say build new.�

The study, submitted to the council, showed an artist rendering of a new, brick exterior, city hall.

Chiodini said the city could tear down the existing facility and build a new city hall on that site. Such a move would require city staff to relocate to temporary quarters during the estimated 14 to 16 months it would take to build a new city hall, officials said.

Deputy city manager Molly Mehner said some of the city offices possibly could be moved into the Common Pleas Courthouse and Annex, but other offices would have to be relocated to other city buildings during construction.

Mayor Bob Fox suggested city officials might consider constructing a new city hall elsewhere on the Independence Street property. That would allow city staff to remain in the existing building until a new city hall opens, he said.

�I am just thinking of the disruption,� Fox said of having to relocate city offices and staff during construction.

Plans to extend Fountain Street on the east side of the city hall property could impact where a new city hall is built, council members said.

Meyer, city manager, said just where the new city hall would be built on the property can be decided later.

City officials also will have to decide on how to secure funding for the project, he said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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