Oliver-Leming House owners among Old Town Cape honorees

Members of the community gathered to honor those instrumental in the rehabilitation and restoration of downtown Cape Girardeau at the Old Town Cape annual dinner on Thursday evening at Isle Casino Cape Girardeau.

Drs. Bert and Mary Ann Kellerman took home two of the six awards Old Town Cape presented at the event, the first being the Judith Ann Crow Residential Historic Rehabilitation Award for the couple's work rehabilitating the Oliver-Leming House, home of the Missouri state flag.

The state flag was designed in 1913 by Marie Watkins Oliver, wife of state Sen. R.B. Oliver, at the home at 740 North St.

The couple also was awarded the Charles L. Hutson Visionary Award for their "commitment to preserving our history" through various rehabilitation projects, including the Oliver-Leming House, said presenters Chris and Dave Hutson.

The Preservation of Heritage Award is not given annually; it has been awarded five times over the last 10 years. Work on the Marquette Hotel and the Southeast Missourian building have been honored with the award in the past.

The Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents was presented the special award for its work on its $25 million renovation of Academic Hall.

From the newly installed copper dome to the light fixtures Louis Houck bought at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis that were restored by Ervin's Metalsmiths Inc. in Cape Girardeau, Academic Hall now is "truly a remarkable space," said Dr. Stephen J. Hoffman, Southeast's Historic Preservation Program coordinator.

Academic Hall will open for public tours of the dome in April.

Jayson Jewelers and Ervin's Metalsmiths Inc. won the Business Excellence Award. The family-owned and operated business was recognized for its involvement in downtown Cape Girardeau for more than 30 years.

The John Boardman Excellence in Historic Rehabilitation Award went to Clemco Development LLC for its dedication in rehabilitating the A.C. Vasterling building at 407 Broadway, which at first was not eligible for tax credits to use toward rehabilitation.

Brother and sister Cara Naeger and R.J. Clements run the family business and worked with architect Rebecca Ward to overhaul the upper floors of the building into trendy but historic apartments. The work included removing an outer stucco facade and restoring the historic stone facade underneath.

Old Town Cape executive director Marla Mills presented the Volunteer of the Year Award to not one volunteer, but six who make up the Cape Riverfront Market executive committee.

The market operates each Saturday from early May to late October at 35 S. Spanish St.

Ross Peterson and Emily Scifers of Laughing Stalk Farmstead; Jaime Mayfield, organizer of the Cape Marketeers children's club; Jim and Barbara Morgan, the "worker bees," and Levi Olson, the "marketing guy," were recognized.

It was announced a $12,000 scholarship of Southeast's Historic Preservation Program and Old Town Cape was named in honor of Hoffman. The Dr. Steven J. Hoffman Historic Preservation Scholarship will be given to a Southeast student studying historic preservation with a focus in economic development.

Mills also offered a sneak peek of the Old Town Cape annual Christmas ornament, based on the 20th Century Fox film "Gone Girl" that was filmed in Cape Girardeau.

ashedd@semissourian.com

388-3632

Pertinent address:

777 N. Main St., Cape Girardeau, MO