New living spaces, development coming to downtown Cape Girardeau
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., (KBSI) – It is a renaissance of revitalization happening in downtown Cape Girardeau.
From historic building renovations, brand new living spaces, to dozens of jobs — Old Town Cape Inc. Executive Director Liz Haynes says it’s a great time to be downtown.
A big moment for a building once condemned, unveiling the Broadway theater’s new sign, the building is just the most recent to see rebirth in Old Town Cape, soon it will be home to luxury living spaces and businesses.
Executive Director for Old Town Cape, Liz Haynes says, this historic moment for the Broadway theater is only the beginning, “There’s no doubt about it – I was born and raised in not only Cape but in downtown Cape. I grew up in what’s now the Indie House and I think back to that time in the 80’s and the 90’s and what our downtown was then, and it was wonderful – that was my livelihood we had three small businesses downtown, but you look at how it was then and how it was now and it’s night and day it’s incredible to see.”
Haynes continues, “In the past year in the downtown district alone, seventeen new businesses open creating eighty-nine jobs and the private investment has been over $5,784,000 and that’s probably conservative.
On April 4, the new casino hotel will be one of the next major developments to open its doors.
“There are numerous events planned around the opening including a Lauren Alaina concert on April 7th and eclipse watch party on April 8th – 69 rooms at the hotel. For a community of our size to have two amazing hotels, large hotels in the downtown district, is really phenomenal. Then there’s downtown living town homes with views of the great Mississippi and other’s above new and old businesses. There’s residential here above the Broadway theater there’s residential here above the Broadway bistro there’s a lot of interest in doing upper level, residential living spaces.”
Haynes says we will soon see the next phase of the Buckner Ragsdale building, the new event center will open in May, three stories with room for events to host 600 people. She says they are booking conferences for this year and next.
The Esquire Theater is soon to be home to offices should be ready this summer.
Haynes says people in Cape realize there’s something special about this river town.
“It’s worth noting there’s a lot of multi-generational businesses that have stood the test of time that were here in the 80’s and 90’s and way before that and they are still having record years in our downtown.”
She wants to encourage the community to get involved and be a part of the old town action adding, “If you want to live downtown also reach out, we know about all of the cool up and coming spots to live downtown if you want to start your business. Expand your businesses move your business reach out I spend a lot of my time meeting with entrepreneurs connecting them with property owners to fill our spaces downtown.”
Besides the Riverview Hotel opening next week, Bourbon and Bitters in the Broadway Theater building should open late next month or early in May.
