Cape Girardeau County 1908 Courthouse

The $9.6 million rehabilitation of the historic 1908 Cape Girardeau County Courthouse in Jackson, Missouri, stands as a landmark achievement in historic preservation and adaptive reuse, earning a 2026 Preserve Missouri Award for excellence in safeguarding the state’s architectural heritage.

Led by the design-build team of Penzel Construction and Treanor, the project transformed a dormant landmark into a vibrant, functioning hub for county government. Renovations began in early 2023 and included a major $1.4 million copper dome replacement—the first such work on the dome since the courthouse was built—which was completed in late 2024, followed by the building’s final reopening and public open houses in 2025.

The exterior restoration featured careful repointing and repair of historic masonry, along with in-kind replacement of deteriorated roof elements, while the interior preservation work rediscovered and protected original marble, mosaic tile, ornamental plaster, and stained glass. At the same time, the project modernized the building with updated HVAC, electrical, and plumbing systems, plus new life-safety upgrades and a modern elevator, all while respecting the courthouse's original 1908 floor plan.

Now fully reactivated, the building houses county administrative offices on the first and second floors—including the Public Administrator, Auditor, Treasurer, Human Resources, and Road & Bridge departments—while the third floor contains the County Commissioners' offices, the Clerk of the County, the Elections Office, and a newly restored commission chamber. With this rehabilitation, Penzel Construction and Treanor have not only returned county government to its historic home, but have also ensured that this century-old landmark will serve the community for generations to come.