Jim Maurer recently won the Stick Your Neck Out Award at the 2015 Missouri Main Street Conference in Kansas City, Missouri. Old Town Cape nominated Mr. Maurer for his work in the creation of the Cape Girardeau CID. As a business owner with a regional presence, Jim risked inviting negative reactions from the inevitable naysayers in the community who would be opposed to his advocacy of a new tax. Despite this risk, Jim believed that it was the right thing to do for downtown and for our entire community, and so he was willing to stick his neck out… repeatedly… to ensure that the job got done, and got done right.

Jim started his work with Old Town Cape in 2004 when he began his first of two, three year terms on the Board of Directors. At the end of his second term, he agreed to continue volunteering as chair of a steering committee to facilitate the formation of a downtown community improvement district (CID)-- a process that ended up being almost 5 years in the making and more than controversial at times.

Jim was not a chair in name only. He engaged in all the work of the committee, helping set the boundaries and services that outlined the petition. He helped facilitate and coordinate in kind or delayed payment of a survey for a legal description, legal work and the business side (office supplies and other needed items). He was involved in most all legal, city council and media discussions.

The steering committee originally had 13 members but eventually only about half of those were active and did the work of the committee. The group was facilitated by Old Town Cape’s Downtown Development Team which included the Director and a board member of Old Town Cape, a Chamber representative and a City representative. This group acted as a resource to the steering committee and did much of the research, facilitation of meetings and timeline.

After serving on the Old Town Cape Board, Jim knew the importance of keeping the formation of the new district and Old Town Cape separate. He took the lead position on public and council presentations, media inquiries and discussions and property owner inquiries. He continually protected Old Town Cape and the Development Team and at the same time helped people understand that this was a way to provide needed services that likely Old Town Cape could facilitate. Even though the whole process was facilitated through Old Town Cape and Development Team, Jim made sure the steering committee had its own presence through his representation.

The original boundaries outlined in the petition included almost 460 properties. (In comparison, the other CID in Cape Girardeau boasts 1 property owner.) Jim owned property with a business in the district, a gas station/quick shop. There were 2 other similar businesses owned by other individuals in the district. He took the lead on gaining their support even though the extra tax would create discrepancies in pricing/margin in relation to their stores in other parts of the town. This was by no means an easy sell and became quite controversial with one owner. But Jim persisted and finally came to an understanding with the other two business/property owners.

After the petition was finalized, Jim spent many hours coordinating and personally gathering property owner signatures, traveling as much as 90 miles for one signature. When almost enough signatures were gathered to deliver to City Council, Jim facilitated a difficult decision with the steering committee to redraw the boundaries. This decision resulted in voiding the signed petitions. A new petition had to be drafted with new boundaries and the steering committee had to start over on gathering signatures.

The reason behind the decision was that a section of the original boundaries was simply not supportive of the CID concept and had very different expectations of service than the rest of the proposed district. It was determined that should the CID pass, those property owners would likely be disappointed in the service because, no matter how presented, they had unrealistic expectations. In addition, there were a number of residents in that area who were not supportive and could have negatively influenced the vote to pass the taxes. Although it was not the easy thing to do, redrawing the boundaries was the right thing to do.

This was a difficult decision resulting in disappointment and some discouragement as the group had to start over. But Jim was not deterred. With his property and one of the other quick shops left out of the new proposed boundaries, he made sure not to include the third quick shop so they were not at a disadvantage. This was a testament to Jim’s integrity as that property would have provided a large amount in tax to the district had it been left in and likely the district and tax could have passed with it included. He had given his word that they would all do it together and when that situation needed to be changed, he made sure it was fair for everyone.

Jim went back and asked for additional survey work and rallied the tired volunteers (and Old Town Cape staff and the rest of the Development Team) to get the signatures needed to form the district. The new boundaries contained 268 properties and 180 property owners. 180 signed petitions, representing 64.35% of the properties in the district and 52.78% per capita were delivered to the City Clerk on December 5, 2013. The signed petitions were verified and the request to form the district was approved by City Council on May 5, 2014.

Now it was time to “get the vote”. The petition called for a .5 % sales tax and a small property tax to fund the services outlined. The property tax was included because a section of the district was already part of a Special Business District that was funded through the exact property included in the Petition. It was set up that the Special Business District would be dissolved when the property tax was passed for the CID. So those property owners would experience a “wash” in their property taxes while properties in the other part of the proposed district would only see a slight increase in their property tax. It was used as a selling point, noting how much had been done within the boundaries of that Special Business District and explaining that would continue in the expanded area.

It was a complicated vote. The steering committee was originally advised that the property and sales tax could be combined in one ballot. But in reality this had never been done before in the state of Missouri and when it came to working with the County Clerk, her research found that the ballots had to be divided. Two ballots. Two different time frames. Two different requirements for passage.

Again, none of this deterred Jim. He worked with the steering committee and Development Team, discussing the best way to insure success the first time. The group agreed the help of a consultant was needed. This was an expense that was not reimbursable by the CID, should it be finalized. Jim helped the team brainstorm and eventually fundraise, donating some of the investment himself to make sure the vote was successful. The consultants helped frame the vote and develop strategy. And Jim helped implement the strategy, again taking time to make some of the contacts himself and facilitating a public meeting of the residents within the district to help answer questions. Taxes are never popular and both the sales and property tax proposal had their detractors. Jim stood strong and took the lead in facing the opposition.

The September 16 mail in ballot election was certified by the County Clerk with the sales tax passing with a total of 51 votes (out of 180 voters), 31 in favor and 20 against. However, the property tax failed on a close vote with a total of 54 votes, 28 opposed and 26 in favor. The budget was rewritten and the process moved forward. Sales tax began being collected on January 1, 2015 – 5 years after the first informational meeting of the steering committee in January of 2010.

Jim helped facilitate the transition of the formation to execution and the running of the CID by named Board of Directors. He was willing to even be a Board member but became ineligible when the boundaries were redrawn. But Jim was intent on seeing it through and attended Board meetings and held discussions for the first six months after the establishment of the Board. He helped frame the request for qualifications that would lead to a contract for services providing management of the district.

For his unwavering leadership and commitment to the formation of the Downtown Cape Girardeau Community Improvement District in the face of adversity and possible personal damage and insult, Jim Maurer is more than deserving of the 2015 Missouri Main Street Connection’s Stick Out Your Neck Award. Congratulations, Jim!

Pictured below: Marla Mills, Old Town Cape Executive Director, accepts the 2015 Stick Out Your Neck Award on behalf of Jim Maurer, from Dr. Steven Hoffman, Missouri Main Street Connection Board of Directors President and Old Town Cape Board Member.

The Former Federal Building recently won the award for the Best Adaptive Re-Use Project at the Missouri Main Street Conference in Kansas City, Missouri. Old Town Cape nominated the Former Federal Building because this project turned a white elephant property into a viable space for new businesses. This building has become a hub for quality businesses that may have not existed if this project was unable to happen.    

 

The Formal Federal Building was designed by St. Louis architect Marcel Boucicault, who was noted for his mid-century modern designs. This building had many positives and negatives, which made its redevelopment both essential and challenging. This quality built, classically modernist building that opened their doors in 1968 was a great addition to the thriving downtown landscape.

 

The Former Federal Building was in use until 2007 when the construction of the Rush Limbaugh Federal Courthouse was completed just a few blocks away. After the move of all the federal offices and court, the building was slated for many different uses; from a homeless shelter to municipal offices. None of these routes were taken and in 2012 the Old Federal Building was sold by the Federal Government to an out of state buyer. The new buyer had no plans for development and the community believed that it would continue to deteriorate and sit vacant.

 

One of the challenges with the redevelopment of the building was the massive size of the structure. The 46,000 square foot building needed a creative solution that would make it fiscally possible for someone to undertake. Luckily a local developer, the Janus Development Group, had the vision and the resources needed to turn this white elephant property into a fabulous office center in Old Town Cape.

 

In 2014 the Janus Development Group purchased the building with the intent of putting it back into service. By providing critical upgrades to the building, yet retaining the historic look and feel of the public areas, Janus Development Group and their managing partner Athena Property Group, have indeed given this historic building a new beginning. In the short time they have been open; they have filled 13 leases and in the process brought a number of new businesses to downtown Cape Girardeau.

 

This project created a buzz in the community. The Former Federal Building houses businesses from lawyers to photographers. Their first lease was signed before they even opened the doors. Codefi is a creative co-working space that focuses on entrepreneurship, business development and helping startup businesses reach their full potential. They have been a great addition to the district by giving people a place to work and network. Codefi has been open for under a year and already has over 100 members.

 

Although the façade needed minimal work, extensive work was done to the interior structure because of the time it sat vacant. The heating and cooling of the building turned out to be a massive undertaking. During construction, the water lines to the radiator had burst, leading to the complete overhaul of the system.

 

A really nice addition to the Janus Development Group’s effort is their preservation of the old courtroom. The judge’s bench and witness stand remain, giving it a unique and historic feel, and as event space available for both business and public use, it will be responsible for bringing all sorts of people downtown for all sorts of reasons. Their vision is to rent out the courtroom to community members that need a unique venue for events.

 

In addition to the courtroom, many other historic features were kept in order to preserve the history of the building. The marble walls and terrazzo floors were preserved in the lobby, and the original doors throughout the building were saved. This shows the commitment to historic preservation and how adaptively reusing buildings can be a strong economic driver.  

 

Looking forward, the Former Federal Building will be retrofitted with LED lighting in order to comply with LEED standards and technology. The Former Federal building is a great example of a rehabilitation project that is able to adapt and progress while staying true to preservation standards. This once white elephant property has become a model for preservation based practices in Old Town Cape.

 

This project demonstrates everything that Old Town Cape promotes; economic development, people working together to reenergize and revitalize downtown and setting an example of good preservation practice. For these reasons and many more, the Former Federal Building is well deserving of the Best Adaptive Re-Use Project award. Congratulations!

Pictured below: Marla Mills, Old Town Cape Executive Director, accepted the 2015 Adaptive Reuse Award Award on behalf of Janus Development Group, from Gayla Roten, Missouri Main Street Connection State Director. Also, before and after photos of the Former Federal Building's revitalization.

Thomas R. Higgins Accounting, LLC recently won the 2015 Business Excellence Award at the Missouri Main Street Conference in Kansas City, Missouri. Old Town Cape nominated TRH Accounting because for more than 30 years, this accounting firm has called Downtown Cape Girardeau home, and has rooted itself as a community supporter and advocate for Cape Girardeau’s historic district. From the top down, this small business exemplifies the attitudes and behaviors of an outstanding, successful entity and is more than deserving of the Business Excellence Award.

Opening its doors in a rented space along a major downtown corridor in 1977, TRH Accounting was ready and eager to serve the accounting needs of the community. Their very first client was a downtown business – a theater. They were able to work through the financial highs and lows with this business, and started witnessing firsthand the rewards that come with being a part of a downtown community.

As business picked up and their clientele base continued to grow, TRH Accounting decided it was time to make a change, a permanent change. Official downtown roots were established when a building just a few blocks down the road was purchased and became the entity’s new home. Steps from the picturesque courthouse, across the street from an established jewelry business, just up from the community clock, TRH Accounting settled into the place it would call home for more than 25 years.

While an accounting office isn’t what you might think of first when analyzing a typical downtown ‘retail landscape’, this organization has a multitude of services and talents to offer the community. From tax preparation and payroll services, to bookkeeping, financial statement preparation and more, this staff is equipped to help properly manage some of the ‘behind-the-scenes’, not-so-glamorous elements of area businesses. During busy seasons or when a big project is coming due, the lights in this downtown building will be on into the late evening hours as this team diligently defends their motto, ‘Accurate and timely service to small business has ALWAYS been our promise.’

TRH Accounting is led by Cape Girardeau resident, Thomas R. Higgins. Although not a native of our area, Tom considers Cape to be home and can think of no better place to own and operate a business. Moving from a high traffic area to a more walkable, pedestrian-friendly location, Tom loves the fact that he can walk out of his business, talk with others and get to know his neighbors, and loves the sense of community that downtown offers. He has often remarked that his business neighbors and partners are more like family than associates. His hometown values of commitment to clients, superior customer service, dedication to the community and putting client needs first, resonates throughout his 4-person staff and, in turn, throughout the community as well.

Speaking of the community, Tom is actively vested in various organizations. He serves on the finance committee for the United Way of Southeast Missouri and also contributes to the development of the organization in several different capacities. He serves on the Board of Directors of EPIC, Early Prevention Impacts Community, a substance abuse prevention program for youth in Southeast Missouri. The Knights of Columbus and St. Vincent’s Church are also organizations he invests his time and resources into to further each of their missions, as well as to contribute to their collective community impact.

Tom was active in the Downtown merchants Association for years before its merger into Old Town Cape. When Old Town Cape was formed, he served as one of the organization’s founding board members. Throughout his 15-year tenure, he served as Vice-President, President and, for 3 years, Treasurer. To keep the revitalization movement going strong, he continues to actively be involved in various committees and events. His accumulated gamut of ideas and strategic input has built a legacy of influence to Downtown Cape Girardeau’s revitalization that will be realized for years to come.

Aside from his leadership capacity, Tom is committed to helping his business peers be successful. He realizes the skills and talents TRH Accounting offers are extremely valuable to the success of a small business, and often offers them for free or at a reduced rate. While some business owners would take time away from their establishments to make these community investments, this entire organization is involved in such development and every employee contributes what he or she can.

Building revitalization is near and dear to Tom’s heart. He has owned and lovingly maintained one of the ‘old’ downtown buildings, keeping it an active facet of the area. Embracing the upper story development that’s classic of the Main Street Approach, Tom created an upstairs apartment (perfect for a son in college) with his business operating out of the first floor. As his family matured, so did the building, and the upstairs was transformed into more office space.

When asking his staff, his family and friends why downtown is so important to Tom and why he continues to keep his small business in this area, they will undoubtedly tell you that downtown is what keeps his pulse going. The history that’s kept alive through revitalization efforts is what’s making his journey special and unique; you can’t just walk into this environment anywhere. It’s businesses like Thomas R. Higgins Accounting, LLC and business owners like Tom that create this special culture. Congratulations, Tom!

Pictured below: William Zickfield, fellow downtown business neighbor and Old Town Cape volunteer, accepted the 2015 Business Excellence Award on behalf of TRH Accounting, LLC, from Dr. Steven Hoffman, Missouri Main Street Connection Board of Directors President and Old Town Cape Board Member.