New federal building is imposing structure

For months, the sign touting the corner of Frederick and Independence streets as the future home of a new federal courthouse has piqued the interest of passers-by.

Now the General Services Administration has released an artist's rendering of the new building. It's quite a showplace and will no doubt become a Cape Girardeau landmark.

The site is just west of Cape Girardeau City Hall, on land that once served as a dump. One day it will house a $49.3 million federal courthouse that features lots of windows, allowing for natural light throughout the building. The front portion is four stories high. There will be three courtrooms and several offices for 97 employees of the federal court and connected agencies.

The completion date for the new building is scheduled for January 2006. Other major downtown projects -- particularly the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge, the Marquette Hotel renovation and Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus -- have provided a new sense of excitement for that area.

No doubt the new federal building will only add to the renewal of the downtown area.