Capitol Avenue rehab project gets green light

This view is of the rear of several 400 block Capitol Avenue properties included among the blighted ones to be acquired by the Jefferson City Housing Authority.
This view is of the rear of several 400 block Capitol Avenue properties included among the blighted ones to be acquired by the Jefferson City Housing Authority.

It was expected, but when the vote was called Tuesday night at City Hall to give first reading on the legislation that represents the final green light to the East Capitol Avenue Urban Renewal Area, the members of the City Council, city staff and other interested parties were plenty happy the official, formal threshold was soon to be crossed and actual work could begin in the blighted 38.1-acre tract in the heart of downtown Jefferson City.

Those keen to improve, renovate and restore the area have been waiting some 22 years, and in 2017, that work will almost certainly begin. A major breakthrough came just weeks ago when the area was declared blighted.

Fifth Ward Councilman Larry D. Henry, who has lived in Jefferson City almost 20 years, made it his job to conduct personal research on the area, which contains 116 parcels of land, 76 of which are within the Capitol Avenue Historic District and as such are designated on the National Register of Historic Places.

Henry said he has listened to many constituents debate the urban renewal subject in recent years and had sat at Lincoln University's library to absorb the abundance of information available there about the area, which is within eyesight of the Capitol, the Executive Mansion, the Missouri State Penitentiary and downtown Jefferson City.

"One of the highlights of the meeting tonight," Henry said, "was that the urban renewal project is coming forth. It's been a long time coming, and I hope the collaboration between the city and the community continues to thrive from this."

Mayor Carrie Tergin joined Henry's comments about the urban renewal plan with her own take.

"This is another victory in the fight to prevent further blight in this very historically significant area and leads us closer to the goal of utilizing options on those who continue to allow their property to fall into such complete disrepair. This bill also shows cooperation between the city, the Housing Authority, the LCRA (Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority), and Planning and Zoning on this effort, working quickly to go through the process."

The zone in which the urban renewal will occur, as identified by Janice McMillan, director of the city's Department of Planning and Protective Services, is generally bordered by East State Street to the north, Adams Street to the west, East High Street on the south - including certain parcels on the south side of East High Street - and Lafayette Street on the east.

The area is a mixture of single and multi-family residential, commercial and even some industrial land uses. McMillan noted, "Building architectural styles run a gamut of buildings with no particular style to French Colonial, mid-19th century, Late Victorian, late 19th and 20th century Classical Revival, Craftsman and Art Deco. Many of the single-family homes with the architectural characteristics noted have been converted to commercial or multi-family uses. In most instances, the outward appearance of the structures has not been significantly altered."

However, she added, "The property conditions are rapidly deteriorating in the area. Many buildings are vacant, and a number of properties were deemed abandoned under city ordinances, forcing the city to board up these buildings. Electricity, water and gas services have been terminated in some buildings.

"Some of these properties are occupied by individuals illegally."

Even the recent days, as the last few hurdles were cleared, the urban renewal plan assumed new and interesting dimensions. For instance, large numbers of feral cats and other wildlife were reported living in some of the historic properties.

Second Ward Councilman J. Rick Mihalevich said of the urban renewal vote, "Big issues regarding the salary study and Capitol Avenue remain as challenging issues to deal with in the short term. I remain guarded about both."

Mihalevich was referring to the city's employee compensation plan, which was submitted to the City Council last week and approved Tuesday night.

Third Ward Alderman Ken Hussey somewhat countered Mihalevich's conservatism with abundant optimism.

"I am excited about the progress being made on urban renewal. We had a first reading tonight on a bill to approve the plan. When we approve the plan on Dec. 19, this will continue the efforts of many to take action on East Capitol and turn that area of our community around. Better days are ahead for this critical part of our city," he said.

Hussey amplified his view with praise for other property actions.

"We had first reading on many bills that have recently been through the Planning and Zoning Commission," Hussey said. "It is always great to see progress being made, such as the business development at the corner of East Capitol and LaFayette.

"New entertainment venues and meeting spaces are needed," he said, "and I applaud the owners for doing this along East Capitol. This type of new business, coupled with the Urban Renewal Plan, has me looking forward to further development in this area."

And Mayor Tergin expanded the positive comments about actions involving property, addressing the approval of the voluntary annexation of the Meadows by the Club subdivision.

"Our city population saw a slight increase tonight with the approval of the voluntary annexation within the Meadows. It is a great fit since most of the neighborhood is already inside city limits," she said. "They asked to become part of our great city, and they recognize the benefits, including police and fire protection, along with lower sewer rates, plus added single-stream recycling that those of us inside city limits get to enjoy."