2001 START FOR FEDERAL BUILDING PROJECTED

Construction of a federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau could begin in fall 2001, the project manager said Thursday.

"We are kind of shooting for September to November of 2001," said Dennis Miller, project manager with the General Services Administration office in Fort Worth, Texas.

The courthouse could cost $40 million.

Miller said the federal government plans to build the courthouse on a four-acre site at Frederick and Independence, just west of City Hall.

"We are looking at a full city block basically," he said.

The site includes land for parking.

Congress has approved spending more than $3 million to buy the land.

Some initial appraisals have been done. The GSA hopes to complete its environmental assessment and buy the property before design work begins.

"We are hoping we will be able to begin the design process in February or March," said Miller.

Some environmental cleanup work will have to be done, he said. The site includes an area that once housed a service station.

"We have to demolish buildings as well," he said. The demolition work could start next year.

"We want to get the land acquired as early as we can," said Miller. Property will be purchased from five or six different owners, including AmerenUE.

The utility company will have to move its substation, Miller said.