Week of October 24-30

Each week, the Southeast Missourian's librarian chooses articles, photos and items of interest that appeared in the pages of this newspaper during the same week in our 100-year history.

Look inside each Tuesday's edition for this yearlong feature.

Oct. 25, 1904

New acquisition for the Normal

Oct. 26, 2000

Hospital down; hotel could be next to go

Laura Johnston ~ Southeast Missourian

Barely any trace of the old St. Francis hospital is left at the corner of Good Hope and Morgan Oak streets now that crews have removed the concrete retaining wall and sidewalk.

And even as the city finalizes paperwork for the old St. Francis demolition, officials are beginning the same process for the Marquette Hotel at the corner of Broadway and Fountain Street.

The Cape Girardeau City Council held a public hearing this week to get final public comment on the St. Francis demolition project. No one spoke.

Crews are moving dirt and working to fill a hole left from an underground storage tank at the old hospital so that new apartments can be built. Building permits already have been issued, but "there's a lot of dirt that has to be pushed around and moved," said Rick Pierce of Phillips Co. in Little Rock, Ark.

The company plans to build a 44-unit apartment complex on the old hospital site. Once construction begins, the project could be finished within eight months.

The city spent $725,000 to demolish the old hospital building and remove asbestos. A Community Development Block Grant paid $250,000 toward the bill but left the city with $435,000. That amount will be assessed in tax bills to the property owner, said Steve Williams of the city's planning services division.