'Creating opportunity' — South Side Village next step in larger project

A groundbreaking ceremony was held Wednesday, Aug. 30, for South Side Village, a development of affordable housing in South Cape Girardeau.

Melissa Stickel, executive director for Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri (CPSEMO), said South Side Village will be the next step in the larger South Side Farms project. She said the planned 42 units will be a mixture of single-family homes, townhouses and apartments designed to encourage long-term housing stability.

Jimmy Wilferth, South Side Farms interim executive director, said the planning for the project began more than six years ago with a simple question to the south side community: "What is it that would make you successful?"

He said one answer was affordable housing that can transition into homeownership.

The housing development will sit on more than 5 acres located a half block east from South Side Farms near the intersection of Walnut Street and Beaudean Lane in South Cape Girardeau. Liberty Apartments of Cape Girardeau, another CPSEMO affordable housing project, is located across the street.

"We are here continuing to pave the way, not only (for) affordable housing in our community but creating opportunity, creating generational wealth," Stickel said. "And by including Early Head Start in the project, we are also paving the way for quality care for children, and that, especially in this community, is essential."

Stickel said the Early Head Start program will be operated by East Missouri Action Agency and will serve up to 20 children, from infant to 3 years old. She said one target population for South Side Village will be mothers who are trying to reunite with their children where housing is a condition of that process.

"CPSEMO will also be providing additional supportive services to all the residents," Stickel said. "We will have a case manager on staff who will help all of the participants and homeowners maintain their housing and any needs they might have."

Double Diamond Construction and Development has been a longtime partner with CPSEMO on creating affordable housing projects, and owner Chad Hartle said he estimates South Side Village will be completed by the end of 2024.

"Housing is the fundamental building block we all rely on," Hartle said. "I feel very blessed to be part of this and part of this community here in South Cape."

Kenneth Haskin, Cape Girardeau city manager, called the project "transformational".

"This is a project that I believe is going to set the stage for other communities in this country to take a look at and hopefully emulate," Haskin said. "I want this project to be about enjoyment, having fun and being able to set the stage for other communities in this country to come take a look at and set the stage for Cape Girardeau."