Housing construction is up in Cape Girardeau, surpassing both state and national percentages in increase over building of a year ago.
The city's Division of Inspection Services reported that construction of single-family homes rose slightly over 1998 totals during the first quarter of 1999.
That increase came despite one of the slowest January construction starts in the past five years.
Housing construction in Cape Girardeau, with only one single-family home start and a duplex start in January, has rebounded.
"The quarter report shows one more single-family house start for the quarter," said Robbie D. Roberts, code inspector and interim director for the Inspection Services.
Apartment units were about even, with 18 units during January, February and March 1998, compared to 15 units this year.
Home building ran into weather problems during the first month of the year.
Home starts the past two months, however, have included 15 single-family homes and three multi-unit dwellings, including a four-unit condominium.
Missouri residential construction is down about 4 percent from 1998 totals. The national averages, which increased in February and March, were down about 0.6 percent following a slight drop in apartment construction.
The single-family house market has continued into April, said Roberts. During the first two weeks of April, five single-family home permits were issued, all in various subdivisions in the city.
According to figures compiled by Jackson's building department, single-family home construction was good in 1998, with 119 new homes, and 10 units of apartment and/or duplexes.
With a growing number of subdivisions in Cape Girardeau, Jackson, and the Fruitland area, home building is expected to continue to increase.
A half-dozen subdivisions have been approved over the past two years in Cape Girardeau, including Northfield 19, Randol Farms 8th, and DKR Second Subdivision during the past month.
Jackson has authorized eight subdivision starts in the past year including Rosewood Estates Fifth Subdivision, with 59 lots; Bent Creek Spring Lake Addition, with 30 lots, and Fairfield Estates with 27 lots.
Subdivisions have been cropping up in Cape Girardeau since the early years of the city's history.
Hundreds of subdivisions -- more than 600, with lots ranging from two or three to 100 or more -- have been approved for the city since the end of the Civil War.
Dianne Barnes, a secretary at the Cape Girardeau Inspection Services Division, traced the subdivision history in Cape Girardeau back to Ingram's Addition in 1859.
Ingram's Addition was approved for a district which consisted of Mill Street, Pearl, Mason and Olive streets. Also included in the addition were Frederick, Fountain and Lorimier streets.
Within a decade, three more subdivision areas were approved -- Allen's Subdivision in 1867; Filbrun's Addition in 1868, and Gonner Survey, in 1869.
The Filbrun's Addition included new homes on Washington, Fountain, North, Sprigg and Middle streets.
The Gonner tract included an area from Good Hope to Independence and Pacific to Main streets.
Following the turn of the century, such names as Normal Avenue Place, Hirsch's Addition, Haupt's Subdivision, and Haman's Edition started cropping up. People were moving into areas along Normal Avenue, Pacific, Benton, Henderson and West End Boulevard.
To the south, Smelterville Subdivision, added in 1905, included areas along South Sprigg, LaCruz, Pine, Beech and Poplar streets.
By mid-century, more residential areas were cropping up with the Sunset Addition in 1949 along Sunset Boulevard Louis, William and Albert streets.
The growth didn't stop in the early 1950s, with additions like Brinks (Montgomery, College and Minnesota streets), Brucher Heights (Brucher, Henderson, Bertling streets), Golliday Edition (Terry Lane and Laura) and Pleasant Acres (Hopper Road).
The 1990s brought numerous subdivisions and the sprawl will likely continue into the new millenium.
Northfield Subdivision, which was first established in 1971, was approved for its 11th addition in the Cambridge Drive and Greenbriar street area.
Northfield number 19 received city approval last week.
Other big names include Beans Subdivision; Blattner West, Carolewood Estates, Mount Auburn, Randol Farms, Woodland Place, Ashland Hills, Stonebridge, Melrose Place, and Lexington Place.
HISTORY OF SUBDIVISIONS IN CAPE GIRARDEAU
More than 600 sudivisions have been approved for the city of Cape Girardeau, since the first Ingram's Addition in 1859, spanning a time period of 140 years. The three most recent additions were approved in April 1999
The following is a condensed history of subdivision development in Cape Girardeau.
The early subdivisions
1859 -- Ingram's Addition: Mill, Pearl, Mason, Olive, Frederick, Fountain, Lorimier.
1867 -- Allen's Subdivision.
1868 -- Filbrunsddir Addition: Washington, Fountain, N. Street, Sprigg, Middle, Frederick.
1869 -- Gonner Survey: Good Hope to Independence, Pacific to Main.
1874 -- Sloan's Addition, Pacific St.
Walker's Subdivision, Clark and Caruthers.
1895 -- Painter Partition.
1903 -- Normal Avenue Place: Sprigg, Marie, Frederick, North, Normal.
Zapf"s Subdivision: Pacific, Benton, Jefferson.
1904 -- Hirsch's Addition: Benton, Hanover, Henderson, Jefferson.
1905 -- Haupt's Subdivision: West End Blvd., Broadway.
Robertson & Gale's Subdivision: Bend Road to Water St., and 1st Street to 4th Street.
Russell & Whitener's 'addition: Louisiana to Park and Themis to Independence.
1906 -- Haman's Addition: Harmony, Themis, West End. Blvd., Painter.
Jefferson Heights: Middle, Asher, Walnut, Jefferson.
Langlois & Glenn Place: West End. Blvd., Painter, Henderson, Cousin, Bloomfield.
Smelterville: Sprigg, LaCruz, Beech, Pine, Poplar, Cooper.
Village of Girardeau: Sprigg, Gibonley, Ramsey, Spring, Bourbon, Boudnary, Vine, Plane, Holy, Pecan.
1909 -- Koch Subdivision: Bloomfield to College and Albert to Minnesota.
Mid-century subdivision
1949 -- Sunset Addition: Albert, Sunset Blvd., Louis, William, Merriwether.
1950 -- Brinks Subdivision: Montgomery, College, Albert, Minnesota, Louis (Brinks had two more subdivision during same year.)
Brucher Heights: Brucher, N. Henderson, Price, Bertling.
Flentge Subdivision: W. End Blvd. Oakley.
Golliday Addition: Terry Lane, Laura, Joanne.
Grant's Subdivision: Madison, Perryville Road, Perry Ave.
Pleasant Acres: Hopper Road, Rodney, Route 61.
Seabaugh, Subdivision: Park Ave., College, Henderson, Jefferson, W. End Blvd.
1951 - Riverside Subdivision: Anna, Perry, Cecilia, Penny, Caruthers.
Stubbs Subdivision: William, Missouri, Minnesota.
1952 -- Green Acres: Green acres, Spanish, Main.
1953 -- Landgraf's Subdivision: Jean Ann , Marilyn, Karen Howell
1954 -- Campbell-Wilkinson subdivision: Leroy, Janet, David, Marvin.
1955 -- Parkview Subdivision: Cape Rock, Marsha Kay, Poppy, Highway 61.
1956 -- Belleridge Subdivision: Melrose, Magnolia, Azalea, Debora, Dixie, Rampart, Belleridge, Carolina.
Dennis Scivally Park Subdivision, Ridge. Brookwood.
Latest subdivisions
1990 -- Bean's Seventh Subdivision, Merriweather St., Leming Lane.
Blattner West Subdivision: Mt. Auburn, Bloomfield.
Carolewood Estates III, Brentwood Drive, Rosewood Drive.
Clarkton Place: Pheasant Cove, Mallard Drive.
Mount Auburn lIII: Keystone, Copper Drive.
Randol Farms, lst Edition: Earleen Drive; Randol Arms , 2nd Edition, Horseshoe Ridge Abbey Road.
1991 -- Bean's Ninth Subdivision: La Mesa Drive, El Rio Drive. Bean's Tenth: Commercial St., Walnut St., Locust St.
Cape West First: Siemers Drive; Cape West Second: Siemers Drive, Route K..
Northfield 11th Subdivision: Cambridge Drive, Greenbriar Drive. (First Northfield Subdivision approved 1971, Sherwood, Lexington, Concord, Northbridge.)
Randle Farms 4th and 5th editions, Horseshoe Ridge.
Woodland Place Subdivision III: Saddleridge lane, Abbey Road: Also Woodland Place IV, V, VI.
1992 -- Ashland Hills Estate 6th: Oak Ridge, Fawn Drive. (First phase Ashland Hills Estate in 1986, Carolewood, Annwood, Ashland Hills.).
Cape West Third Subdivision: Bloomfield Road, Kell Farm Drive.
Stonebridge Subdivsion, Phase I: Stonebridge Drive, Grant St., Bloomfield Road.
Twin Lakes Subdivision: North Lake Drive.
Woodland Place Subdivisions VI, VII and VIII.
1993 -- Blattner Third West Subdivision: Mt. Auburn, West park Mall, Entrance Road.
Cape West Fifth Subdivision, Campster Drive, Cape West Parkway.
Chateau Manor:. Farrar, Chateau, Bordeau, Drodova, LaPetite Court.
Chalet Trace: Chalet Lane, off Hopper Road.
Mount Auburn Subdivision IV: Keystone Drive, Coppery Drive; Mount Auburn V: Mt. Auburn Road, Beavercreek Drive.
Northfield 13th and 14th Subdivisions.
Randol Farms 6th: Abbey Road, Horseshoe Ridge, Arabian Drive.
Six Sisters: Kingshighway, Kingsway Drive.
1994 -- Acy-Karen Subdivision: Cape Rock Drive, Perryville Road.
Ashland Hills Estate 8th: Camino Court, Dearmore Court.
Clarkton Place IV: Stag Pointe, Quail Run, Caribou Court.
Crites VIII and IX Additions: Themis St., Silver Springs Road, Spruce Road.
Farrar Drive Subdivision: Farrar Drive, Percy Drive, Vantage Drive.
Giboney Woods First and Second Subdivisions, Benton Hill Road, Cobblestone Court.
Lexington Place First Subdivision: Lexington, N. Church St., Paul Revere Drive; Lexington Place Second: Lexington, N. Church St., Paul Revere Drive, Minute Men Way, Kingsway Drive.
Melrose Place: Melrose Avenue, Randol Drive.
Mount Auburn Subdivisions III, IV, V, VI, VII and VIII. Copper Drive, Keystone Drive, Beavercreek Drive, Mt. Auburn Road.
Northfield 14th, 15th and 16th Subdivisions: Yorktown Drive, Greenbriar Drive, Lakewood, Sherwood.
Randol Farms Estates: Kenneth drive, Wild Horse Creek Road.
1995 -- Bowman's First Subdivision: Vincent Park Drive, Donna Lane.
Cape West Seventh Subdivision: Siemers Drive, Campster Drive, Lambert Drive, Lowest Drive.
DKR First Subdivision: Cape Centre Drive.
James Addition: Melody Lane, Melody lane South.
Lexington Place Third Subdivision: Lexington, Cannon Lane, Minute Men Way, Patriot Drive, N. Church St.
Melrose Place II: Randol Drive, Lisa Drive.
Northfield 17th: Chesapeake, West Point Place. Cambridge Drive, Greenbriar Drive.
Randol Farms Estates 2nd: Kenneth Drive, Bridlepath Court
Randol Farms, 7th: Horseshoe Ridge, Palomino Drive.
1996 -- Ashland Court, Phase I: Scenic Drive, Granite Drive, Prospect Drive, Platinum Court.
Hillcrest Place: Hillcrest Drive, DePaul Lane, Timon Way.
Mary's Place Subdivision: Scott's Lane, Flint Hill Road.
Randol Farms 11th: Kenneth Drive, Saddlegate Court.
Red Oak Estates: Emily Court, Noble Court, Benjamin Court.
1997 -- Bethel Subdivision: Lynwood Hills Estate, Lynwood Hills Drive.
Randol Farms Estates 3rd: Kenneth Drive, Carriage Crossing.
Southeast Properties Subdivision: Good Hope, Hanover.
1999 -- Northfield 19th Subdivision.
Randol Farms 8th Subdivision.
DKR Second Subdivision.
Connect with the Southeast Missourian Newsroom:
For corrections to this story or other insights for the editor, click here. To submit a letter to the editor, click here. To learn about the Southeast Missourian’s AI Policy, click here.