The recent sale of a 105-year-old building that sits in a downtown historic district on Broadway has put its future in doubt, though its new owners insist they have yet to decide the structure's fate.

Trinity Lutheran Church bought the building at 501 Broadway -- perhaps best known for the large mural on its west wall -- about six weeks ago from Bob Cotner, whose family had owned it since 1919.

While there appear to be several options, one possibility the nearby church is contemplating is razing the two-story brick building to make way for parking, according to Old Town Cape executive director Marla Mills.

"I think that's just one of the things they're considering," Mills said. "... The indication was that it would be a decision made by the church, but it hadn't been fully decided."

At this point, no determination has been made, said the congregation's president, who asked that his name not be used. He also would not say what options the church is considering. But he did note that anything the church votes to do with the 12,500-square-foot building will be tastefully done and will take into consideration the city's long-term plan for Broadway enhancements.

He also pointed out that it would probably cost as much as $30,000 to repair the structurally unsound west wall. A 2009 report by city fire marshal Brian Shaffer says the wall was pulling away from the main structure. But an engineering investigation performed last year says that the structure is safe. The west wall was already replaced once following its collapse in 2000.

Several years after that, Cotner allowed Trinity to commission the painting of the mural, which says, "Train a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it." There has been some talk about taking the mural down, block by block, so it could be saved.

The congregation president said no timetable has been set for a church vote and he wouldn't speculate as to when that might happen. The church's pastor, the Rev. Doug Breite, did not return phone calls Wednesday seeking comment.

The building, built around 1906, has been home to an auto-parts store, a mercantile company, SEMO Video and other commercial endeavors. It is essentially two buildings and includes the one attached at the rear at 117 N. Middle St., said Thomas M. Meyer, who brokered the sale between Cotner and Trinity Lutheran.

Mills and Old Town Cape board member Steven Hoffman recently met with a church representative to discuss the building. Hoffman is also historic preservation coordinator at Southeast Missouri State University and a volunteer adviser of the city's Historic Preservation Commission.

Both Hoffman and Mills said their first preference is to save the building, which is in the Broadway-Middle Commercial Historic District. The building is a contributing building to the district that includes the entire 500 block of Broadway and the 100 block of North Middle Street, Hoffman said. The district is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

"First of all, it's their property, not mine," Hoffman said. "But I have a hierarchy of things I would like to see happen, and last on that list of things I'd like to see is having that building be demolished."

Hoffman would like to see the church find a partner to work with them or find a buyer to renovate the buildings and put them back in service. If the church does decide to take the building down, he hopes they work to minimize the negative effect of having two parking lots back to back.

"Broadway is in transition, and a lot of parts of it are still tattered," Hoffman said. "I know they're not in the business of rehabbing buildings. But something needs to be there that will be more likely to draw people along a pedestrian pathway."

Some options to accompany parking could be pillars or green space, he said.

Mills agreed that she'd like to see the building saved, but she said she understands the church has to consider its own needs.

"There's a lot to consider with that piece of property -- with or without the building," she said. "We just wanted to start a conversation and give them some information about urban design and let them know why that corner is important. We know whatever they do, they're going to try to make that corner look nice."

smoyers@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

501 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO