FEDS REJECT HISTORIC AREA; GSA CONSIDERS OTHER DOWNTOWN SITES FOR COURTHOUSE

The federal government has ruled out a two-block area of historic homes in downtown Cape Girardeau as a site for a new courthouse.

The General Services Administration has begun to re-evaluate other blocks in the downtown area. The Happy Hollow area, a former dump west of City Hall, is one of the sites being studied, a federal official said Monday.

The official, Jim Ogden of the GSA's regional office in Kansas City, said in a letter earlier this month to City Manager Michael Miller that there is "some cautious optimism" it could be economical to construct a courthouse at the Happy Hollow site.

The site is three blocks west of the Federal Building and covers nearly six acres. It is one of the largest areas of vacant ground in downtown Cape Girardeau.

The site is bordered by Independence on the north, the unopened right of way of Middle Street on the east and Frederick on the west. A partially opened section and unopened right of way of Merriwether Street crosses the southern part of the block.

In a Feb. 2 meeting with Miller, Ogden stressed city participation in the project could make a difference.

Kansas City and Omaha, Neb., for example, provided land for new federal buildings.

But Cape Girardeau Mayor Al Spradling III said city officials have no plans to do that here.

The city does own some rights-of-way through the tract, but much of the land is privately owned.

Ogden said a Union Electric substation along Independence would have to be moved. Spradling said that could cost as much as $1 million.

The GSA had wanted to build a courthouse in the two-block area immediately south of the Federal Building, but ruled it out because of strong opposition from the community and residents in the neighborhood.

"The preponderance of comments encouraged us to locate in a more commercial, less historic area than blocks immediately south of our existing Federal Building," wrote Glen Overton, the GSA regional administrator.

The area, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Cape Girardeau, is bounded by Themis on the north, Middle on the west, Lorimier on the east and Independence on the south.

GSA officials reached their decision after holding a public hearing in Cape Girardeau on Feb. 1.

The decision was good news to Julie Briney and her neighbors. Briney and her husband, Jeffrey, live in an old house they have painstakingly restored at 25 N. Fountain.

"I think we are just relieved that we can get on with our lives and continue to enjoy our neighborhood as we know it," Briney said.

Ogden said the GSA selection team will assess other blocks and propose a new site for the $30 million project.

The Cape Girardeau City Council plans to hold a public hearing on possible sites within the next several weeks.

Ogden said the GSA won't act until after the council holds a hearing. He said the council hearing could give the GSA a better indication of what site or sites the community favors.

Once a site is proposed by the GSA, the agency will have to hold a public hearing before it can buy any land.

Ogden doesn't know when that might occur. "We are not in a big rush," he said.

"We are trying to do the right thing as far as making it an asset for the community as well as a usable courthouse for the federal government," Ogden said.