Jackson car wash under construction

A new car wash is being built at 2030 E. Jackson Blvd. in Jackson. A building permit has been issued, but no other information is currently available.

Candlewood Suites coming to Cape

A Farmington, Mo.-based hotel developer plans to build a new Candlewood Suites Hotel on South Mount Auburn Road near the Highway 74, Interstate 55 interchange. ARV Group has closed on the 1.73-acre site, according to Tom Kelsey, commercial broker who handled the real estate transaction.

Kelsey said the hotel developer intended to start construction in the spring on an 89-room Candlewood Suites Hotel, which is Holiday Inn's extended stay product. The group went before the Cape Girardeau city council in November and was approved for a zoning variance to build the four-story hotel at that location. The site is within an 11.75 acre development parcel recently sold and handled by Kelsey to Mayson Investment, primarily owned by Jim and Jeff Maurer.

Engineering and construction has already begun on the water, sewer and street infrastructure. The development has been named Cape West Crossings and will have several other commercial lots available for retail, office, restaurant and other commercial uses.

The hotel developer, ARV Group, owns several other hotels in the Midwest, including locations in Missouri and Arkansas. They are an approved developer with Marriot, Holiday Inn and other hotel franchises. They chose the Candlewood Suites for Cape Girardeau since the area does not currently have an extended stay hotel, Kelsey said.

PB Post Office renovations complete

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Renovation of the U.S. Postal Service office in Poplar Bluff have been completed. Renovations began on March 19 and include new sidewalks, improved parking for customers, automatic dock lifts, new back doors, and a new roof. Indoor improvements include new electrical wiring, energy efficient lighting, re-insulated walls, a modernized heating and cooling system, an expanded breakroom, a lifted, warehouse style ceiling, a new women's restroom, and elimination of the boiler room. In addition, the post office has an expanded, handicap-accessible lobby, new counters and post office boxes, and a new paint job. The post office currenlty employs 52 people who deliver mail to a total of about 18,000 households and businesses.

Arkansas Donut Shop extends to Kennett

KENNETT, Mo. — Johnny Owens, owner of the Donut Shop in Piggott, Ark., has recently extended the business to Kennett, Mo. After seven years of success in Piggott, Owens decided to open a second location, now found on the square in Kennett. The store is open from 6-10 a.m., Monday through Saturday.

The Donut Shop specializes in and focuses directly on donuts, which are fresh and made from scratch every day.

Bridge bid awarded in Mississippi County

CHARLESTON, Mo. — Assuming MoDOT approves the choice, Joe's Bridge and Grading of Poplar Bluff will build Mississippi County's next new bridge. Bids for construction of a new bridge on County Road 522 over the Wolf Hole Lateral were opened during the regular County Commission meeting Dec. 18. Commissioners selected the apparent low bidder, Joe's Bridge and Grading, which offered to do the job for $208,099.80.

Also bidding were J.W. Githens of Poplar Bluff at $216,611.90; Robertson Contractors Inc. at $237,395.50; Penzel Construction Co. of Jackson, $224,605.90; and Randy Kinder Excavating of Dexter, $238,782.50.

The bid award is contingent on the Missouri Department of Transportation's concurrence, according to Dennis Cox, an engineer for Smith and Co. of Poplar Bluff.

Peak Land Co. expanding to meet needs

FARMINGTON, Mo. — Farmington-based developer Andrew Braxton recently cut the ribbon on his new Peak Land Company Realty, LLC. Additionally, crews completed the first of several apartment buildings and continue to grow the wide array of communities being developed off Route H on the southern edge of Farmington.

Michele Callahan serves as broker/manager for Peak Land Company Realty, LLC. Veteran salesperson Chrissy Vaugh has 13 years of experience as a full-time agent and is handling the sales contacts. The new office is located at 256 Cherry Creek Lane off Route H. It is a full-service real estate office handling sales and leasing of Peak Land Company properties in addition to being a member of the Mineral Area Board of Realtors and providing the complete array of multi-listing services. Office hours are from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, with open houses held from 1-5 p.m. on weekend days. The phone numbers are (573) 760-0605 or (573) 760-0198.

Farmington to get new firehouse

FARMINGTON, Mo. — On Dec. 22, the Farmington City Council voted to move forward with building a new firehouse on the corner adjacent to the police station downtown. Contracts could be let as early as next month, according to Councilman Dennis Smith. The first step will be formulating a working plan to demolish the existing building on the site and prepare the lot for a new 16,000-square-foot building.

Benefits of relocating the fire department to the area adjacent to the police station would be that a one-block section of street between the two offices could be closed to through traffic — creating the public service "campus." It's hoped the project will be funded through a voter-approved extension of an existing sales tax set to expire in 2014. It's likely the council would take the proposed tax extension to the voters in 2011 or 2012.

Lorimont Place Ltd. to market Emerson building

KENNETT, Mo. — The building formerly hosting Emerson Electric is being marketed and sold by Lorimont Place Ltd. Southeast Missouri Commercial Real Estate out of Cape Girardeau as of Dec. 23, 2008. Lorimont Place Ltd. President and Broker Tom Kelsey said the company has 15 years of experience in sales and marketing with industrial buildings, and has sold nine large industrial buildings in Southeast Missouri over the past few years.

According to Kelsey, Lorimont Place Ltd. will use similar marketing and networking procedures that have been used with other industrial brokers, along with using prospective buyers to give the Kennett property adequate national exposure and awareness. The property includes 271,800 square feet of total building, 10,350 square feet of office area, 36 acres of property, and up to 18'6" of ceiling heights.

YMCA renovations in final stage

KENNETT, Mo. — Renovations at the YMCA of Southeast Missouri are nearly complete. The expanded portion of the center, which includes the pool, basketball courts, a walking trail and exercise rooms, is slated to open Jan. 19. Once it opens, the portion of the YMCA currently in use will be closed for renovations, which are set to take about three months, according to Jeff Partridge, executive director of the YMCA. The total project is estimated to cost about $7 million.