William Street evolution: Flurry of activity gives life to historic artery

William Street in Cape Girardeau is one of the city's original streets, dating back more than 200 years. Though it shows some bumps and blight, one of the main arteries in the city has continued evolving over the decades.

William Street east of Kingshighway appears to be bustling with new commercial activity. Over the last few years, William Street has been host to many business openings, remodels and rehabs.

* A new CVS pharmacy at William and Kingshighway is slated to open later this month, according to the pharmacy's business license application. The pharmacy took the place of Plaza Tire Service, which had been there since 1963. That business was demolished and rebuilt next door at 170 S. Kingshighway last year.

* At 2103 William St., the former DuShell's Furniture building in November was approved by the city council to be in the Town Plaza Community Improvement District, a special taxing district. The building's "blighted" status means the owner can apply to use funds generated by the taxing district to help pay for improvements. An additional 1-cent sales and use tax can be charged at any business that sets up in the location through 2033. On Thursday, workers were stripping down the inside. They would not comment on an incoming business.

* Three buildings recently were demolished in the area of 720 William St. to prepare the land for construction of a Family Dollar store.

Bagger Dave's at 2106 William St. opened in 2012 in a former Sears location.

* Tasty Drinks in the plaza soon will open, and Buona Pizza, 2148 William St., Suite A, in the neighboring parking lot opened Thursday.

* The building that housed Sears at 2102 William St. underwent major building improvements, and National Asset Recovery Services moved its local operations to the building in 2007. NARS was followed by Integrity Solution Services, which closed in September. Bagger Dave's Legendary Burger Tavern opened on the property in 2012.

* Behind the Town Plaza, a Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market is planned where the Plaza Galleria stood at 2021 Independence St.

The Town Plaza opened in 1960 along William Street and a theater was added to the end of the strip in 1973, according to Southeast Missourian archives. The plaza stands today with only the movie theater vacant, which operated until December 2011.

William Street carries a lot of traffic to downtown from Cape Girardeau's central and west sides. That traffic is attractive to some businesses, but the road also comes with challenges. Further eastward, the street turns into more of a residential area.

The new CVS pharmacy at William Street and Kingshighway is slated to open later this month.

That mix creates challenges for real estate agents and city planners, the latter looking to modify the street to accommodate commercial and residential needs.

Thomas M. Meyer of Exit Realty and Thomas L. Meyer Commercial Realty represented previous owners of the buildings demolished for the construction of Family Dollar.

Much of William Street is residential, Meyer said, as it has been since at least the 1960s, according to Southeast Missourian archives. William Street residential property "is not as attractive as it would be in a normal residential presence," he said.

The properties demolished for the development of Family Dollar had to be rezoned from residential to commercial, Meyer said. Rezoning for the Family Dollar project, as well as the CVS pharmacy project, were approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission. The commission makes recommendations to the Cape Girardeau City Council regarding zoning changes, subdivision plats and other developmental policy issues.

Trae Bertrand, chairman of the commission, said various plans involving improvement of William Street have been "on the radar" for a couple of years.

El Torero at 2120 William St. was remodeled in May 2012.

"We recognize the importance of William Street to the city, and we have the opportunity to do something that will make improvements to William Street. ... the planning and zoning board will do what we can to help," Bertrand said.

Cape Girardeau city engineer Casey Brunke said the city completed a thin overlay on William Street in 2012. It was a temporary fix for the worn-down street, she said. The upgrade was made while the city developed ideas for a more permanent solution.

An open house-style public meeting featuring potential plans for a William Street Corridor Project in December received mixed reviews.

The city will take into consideration public comments on two proposals for the project. The plans would address noise issues along the street and make it more inviting and pedestrian-friendly while still accommodating traffic, Brunke said.

One option would add medians with plantings from Kingshighway to Sheridan Drive, plus a transitional area from Sheridan to Louis Street that would narrow four lanes to two with a center-turning lane. The turn lane would combine with a median with plantings east to Main Street. Along the length of the street, landscaping, a sidewalk on the south side and a wide, multipurpose lane on the north side for walking and biking would be built.

Construction is ongoing for a Family Dollar store at 720 William St.

The second option is similar to the first, but most of the street shrunk to two lanes would contain a two-way turning lane in the center and no planted median.

If a majority of the public comments say they want nothing done to William Street, that will be an option, Brunke said. The city also could scale back plans and continue with other parts of the project.

Voters would have to approve funding for the project by renewing the city's half-cent sales tax for transportation projects because the project is on a fifth Transportation Trust Fund, or TTF, project list. That vote is expected in 2015. The design for the project is funded with TTF 4 funds approved by voters in 2010.

Improved access for pedestrians and better lighting for safety are needs Brunke said she sees along William Street.

Although the street is not the only east-west corridor to downtown, "it is very much a gateway to our downtown area," she said.

Hamburger Express at 902 William St. received a new sign and new paint job late last year.

Meyer favors a center turning lane along William and said it should have been done 40 years ago.

"I don't think the median would work," he said.

Meyer said he believes beautifying the street would help future growth of commercial development. Where "beautiful maple trees" once were planted, now there is a four-lane street, he said.

"You don't have any greenery along through there," Meyer said, who spoke of sprucing up intersections and planting trees and other plants along the right-of-ways of William Street.

Hamburger Express, the drive-through burger restaurant at 902 William St., received a fresh coat of paint and a new burger sign on the edge of the street in late 2013.

The Men's Room barbershop and spa at 705 William St. opened in August.

Shanin Curtis has managed the burger joint since July, and said she is "all for" any updates along William Street that will bring business.

Curtis is from north St. Louis, and said she has seen money poured into projects much like the potential William Street Corridor Project.

She would rather see money spent on beautifying the road and new fixtures -- not necessarily new roads and sidewalks.

Though the future look of William Street remains uncertain, businesses continue to keep the corridor bustling.

ashedd@semissourian.com

388-3632

Pertinent address:

William Street, Cape Girardeau, MO