Crews demolished a section of a building on Broadway that a Cape Girardeau developer who recently purchased the structure had hoped to use for commercial development.

Kenny Pincksten, who acquired 633, 635 and 637 Broadway earlier in the month, said a bowed wall of the 633 section significantly weakened last week, forcing him to opt for Monday's demolition.

"With that wall falling like it was, I felt like it might take the rest of the building down with it," Pincksten said.

Pincksten still plans to use the other two sections of the building for commercial activity. The building previously was owned by Guy Tomasino. Cape Girardeau officials issued a summons to him in June for failure to repair or demolish a building after he failed to respond to the city's request to repair the bowed wall.

Within the next 60 days Pincksten plans to have engineers and architects inspect the remaining sections of the building and then will determine the next course of action.

Meanwhile, another site Pincksten purchased is planned for demolition in the coming weeks. Pincksten plans to turn 621-623 Broadway into a parking lot. He doesn't know yet what he will do with 625 Broadway.

"Right now I'm looking for tenants for 635 and 637 Broadway," Pincksten said. "With it being such a high volume of traffic, I know we'll have some great candidates."

Originally built in 1868 by German carpenter Julius Vasterling, the building at 633-637 Broadway has served as a general store, pool hall and saloon.

The deteriorating structure was placed on National Register of Historic Places on June 17. Ken Eftink, director of planning services for the city, said that while the designation normally protects a building from demolition, such action is allowed if the structure poses a safety risk.

Eftink said officials are relieved that Pincksten is demolishing a dangerous structure.

"You could see vertical cracks in the brick caused by pressures from the wall failing," Eftink said. "There was no way to take down that wall without rebuilding it. There are a lot of good reasons to save the rest of the building for the city of Cape Girardeau."

bblackwell@semissourian.com

388-3628

Pertinent addresses:

621 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO

623 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO

625 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO

633 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO

635 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO

637 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO