Reviving South Cape

One area of focus for Cape Girardeau's emerging comprehensive plan -- a blueprint expected to guide the city for the next 20 years -- is the neighborhood commonly referred to as South Cape. It is bounded by Good Hope Street, the Mississippi River, Kingshighway and Southern Expressway. It is a mostly residential area, although there are some businesses along Good Hope and Morgan Oak Street as well as along Southern Expressway.

Many of the residential structures in South Cape still show hints of their charm and grace. Some of the homes were, in their day, quite substantial. Some renovators say they "still have good bones." But the fact is that South Cape has been in decline for a number of years. With the opening of Blanchard Elementary School a few years ago, South Cape lost its neighborhood school, May Greene Elementary. Churches and other social-service organizations continue to provide programs and services. As Denise Lincoln of the Cape Girardeau Area Family Resource Center said recently, residents of South Cape aren't looking ahead 20 years. They are trying to pay their utility bills and keep their children in school.

From a planning standpoint, there is optimism that South Cape is ripe for a turnaround. It is advantageously located with access to major highways, a railroad and the river. While planning is useful and appropriate, the future of South Cape -- or any other part of the city -- depends on two things: willingness to take a risk, and money.

Take a look at some of the area's success stories. Jason Coalter is risking millions of dollars on housing that is in dire need of upgrading and renovation. The owners of the Rose Bed Inn, Eldon Nattier and James Coley, put their money on the line in 1995. Since then the 600 block of South Sprigg Street has been transformed into a model of what all of South Cape could become. Habitat for Humanity is building a neighborhood of homes for occupants who have demonstrated they want to live in a good neighborhood. Housing projects for low-income residents continue to spring up in South Cape, providing well-maintained and affordable options for renters. The opening this fall of Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus in South Cape is likely to have a major impact for years to come.

Block by block, house by house, church by church, social agency by social agency, South Cape is being reclaimed and upgraded. If city planning can encourage and facilitate the monumental task of reviving that area, bring it on. Let's hope the plan has a good dose of realism and a practical understanding of how things get done.