The Wal-Mart Supercenter on Route K now is more than just an outline: the exterior of the 168,000-square-foot building is nearing completion.

The exterior of the Rust & Martin Furniture Store alongside Route K in the Cape Girardeau Centre is also taking on a finished look.

And, in the center of town, a three-story, $1.5-million parking garage for Southeast Missouri Hospital is nearing completion. The facility, which was started this spring, will adjoin the existing four-level parking garage.

These are just three of many commercial construction projects that were announced and begun during 1991. All are scheduled for completion in early 1992.

Other commercial projects that have been completed this year include a 60,000-square-foot Shop 'N Save Supermarket; the restaurants, Taco Bell, El Chico, and Applebee's Neighborhood Grill and Bar; a building in Doctors' Park; and a Cybertel building. Permits also have been issued for a new Bluff City Beer warehouse, a new Community Counseling Center, and a 15,000-square-foot building under construction on Commercial Street.

Those projects and others have resulted in commercial construction totaling more than $15.8 million in Cape Girardeau for the first 11 months of 1991. With another $7.1 million in home construction, the construction industry in Cape Girardeau is expected to top the $25-million mark that was recorded during each of the past three years.

With less than a month left in 1991, permits have been issued for more than $24.2 million in construction in the city. That includes residential housing, commercial buildings and expansions.

The totals do not include two ventures that have been announced: a $7 million Health Services Corporation of America project and a 20,000-square-foot expansion of the shopping strip between Hartford's and Food Giant in the Cape Girardeau Centre shopping area by Futura Properties Inc. of St. Loius.

Excavation already is evident along Mount Auburn Road, where work is taking place on the HSCA office-professional-retail development that will surround the HSCA offices. Permits are expected for the project in early 1992.

The Wal-Mart store, which was announced in January, is one of the largest commercial projects this year in Cape Girardeau. The permit for the facility, issued in September, calls for a construction cost of about $5 million.

Commercial construction at this point, however, is under the 1990 total. The 1990 commercial total, for 12 months was just over $17 million.

Meanwhile, the number of residential home permits is down but the total dollar figure is up for 1991. A total of 82 new homes were constructed in 1990 at a cost of $6,176,051, for an average cost of $70,989.

The permit total through November is 67, but the average per-home cost is about $107,000. That represents more than $7.1 million in total costs. Although 1991 houses ranged in price from $50,000 to $250,000, many of the homes were over $100,000.

A commercial boon a year ago came during the final quarter of 1990. October was a big commercial month a year ago, with permits issued for $4.4 million in construction and expansions. Over the final quarter, a total of 42 permits were issued calling for more than $7.7 million in contracts.

The third quarter has been the big one for commercial project permits this year; more than $5.7 million in permits were issued.

Construction spending in Cape Girardeau has topped the $25 million mark since 1988, when they hit $25,779,188. In 1989, permits were issued for $25,088,676 in construction, and last year total construction hit $25,517,419.

The Wal-Mart store was the largest single construction project of the year.

The Supercenter, which will be open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week, will employ approximately 300 people, about 100 more than are employed at the Wal-Mart store at 210 S. Silver Springs Road.

The Supercenter is twice as large as the store on Silver Springs Road, which Wal-Mart will be closed after the Supercenter opens.

"We're looking for an early 1992 opening," said a spokesman at Wal-Mart headquarters in Bentonville, Ark. "Once the outside construction is finished, there's still a lot of work to do inside the building. Even when the building is completely ready, it has to be stocked and new employees have to be trained."

An advertisement for workers at the store is appearing in the Southeast Missourian. The firm is seeking applications in several areas, including produce, sales clerks, cashiers, bakery, and grocery. Interested individuals should apply in person at the Missouri Job Service office, 1219 N. Kingshighway, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

Construction spending in the U.S. increased about 1 percent in October, the fourth straight monthly gain and the longest string of advances in five years.

Reports from the U.S. Commerce Department said that residential, non-residential and government spending totaled a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $411.5 billion, up from $407.5 billion in September.