Downtown Cape Girardeau includes newly renovated buildings and thriving businesses.

But the city also has its share of run-down, deteriorating buildings, some of which have been vacant for years.

Historic preservationists and city leaders recently supplied the Southeast Missourian with a list of Cape Girardeau's most visible vacant buildings. Most are in the downtown area.

Interim city manager Ken Eftink, historical preservationist Terri Foley, Southeast Missouri State University history professor and historical preservationist Steven Hoffman, Southeast Missouri Children's Museum board president Martha Brown, Old Town Cape executive director Marla Mills and Cape Girardeau city planner Sarah Wallace contributed to the compilation of the list.

* Plaza Galleria, 2021 Independence St. Owned by CR and Betty Talbert, the 56,450-square-foot building opened in July 1984 after it had been a Kroger grocery store for years. The structure was once home to more than 20 businesses, including restaurants, bars, a banquet center and an ice-skating rink. Pockets, the last business still operating at the Plaza Galleria, closed its pool hall and tavern July 2, 2005.

Tom Kelsey, a broker with Lorimont Place Ltd., is representing the Talberts. He said the owners are offering the property, which needs numerous repairs, as is.

Most prospective buyers are looking at the property as "a redevelopment opportunity," Kelsey said. In most cases, that would mean tearing down the building and using the 6.85 acres for a new project.

* Adjacent buildings at 633, 635 and 637 Broadway. Owned by Guy and Rene Tomasino, the buildings have served as a cafe, an Eastern religious outlet, a consignment shop, a fashion boutique, a salon and a shoe store.

"The Broadway building is a key to the architectural history of that block," Foley said. "Without that building on the corner, the sense of history would be lost since the other three corners have so greatly changed."

* Old Jefferson School, 731 Jefferson Ave. Also owned by the Tomasinos, the school was built in 1905 at a cost of $10,000. Other uses for the building have included apartments and a union hall.

* Keys Music Store, 121 Broadway. Owned by Su Hill, the structure was built in 1891. It housed the Masonic Temple until 1969, when it was sold to Vida and Eddie Keys and became Keys Music Store.

* Broadway Theatre, 805 Broadway, and Esquire Theatre, 824 Broadway. Foley said owner Phil Brinson is being selective with plans to use the theaters so they can best meet the needs of the community. She said he is interviewing other theater owners for details of how they rehabilitated their buildings and is talking with architects who have experience in reuse of theaters. Foley said Brinson is doing minor work on the Broadway Theatre, such as painting the second floor.

Foley said rehabilitating theaters is difficult.

"Most people think it is so simple to take an old building and rehab it, but they don't stop and think about having to bring it up to code," Foley said. "These are two terrific buildings and are rare for our community.

"To paint the theater part will be difficult as all the chairs have to be removed so the scaffolding can be put up," Foley said. "Then you have to constantly readjust the scaffolding to the slope of the floor."

* Steve and Barry's, West Park Mall. The building has been without a regular tenant since the discount clothing store closed in September.

"Anytime you have one of the anchor spaces vacant, it takes away from the experience," Eftink said. "... The whole is greater than the sum of the individual parts."

Susan Godorov, spokeswoman for mall owner Centro Property Groups, said the local leasing department is working with potential regional and national tenants for the space. Godorov said Centro is talking with retailers as well.

* Haarig District buildings, corner of Good Hope and Sprigg streets. Originally settled by German immigrants in the area, the district became a neighborhood of offices, taverns, retail shops and homes by the late 1800s. While the area has visible structures such as Meyer Supply and the Salvation Army, Good Hope Street has numerous empty storefronts.

"It is an area that starting to see rehab of its vacant buildings," Foley said. The new property owners' "vision to see the potential of the district will have a very positive effect to the district."

Mills said the key piece to the revitalization puzzle is a master plan known as the Downtown Revitalization and Economic Assistance for Missouri, or DREAM, Initiative. Since Cape Girardeau was named one of 10 DREAM Initiative cities in 2006, more than $2.6 million has been infused into redevelopment efforts to improve three downtown areas.

"All the buildings play a part," Mills said. "The idea of a vibrant area is that you have a low vacancy rate. We don't want buildings to remain vacant but to be filled with businesses that thrive."

bblackwell@semissourian.com

388-3628

Pertinent addresses:

121 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO

633 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO

635 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO

636 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO

502 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO

826 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO

828 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO

900 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO

905 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO

101 S. Pacific St., Cape Girardeau, MO