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Tourist Commission Seeks To Reassure Diamond Point Tenants

File image: Diamond Point Welcome Center

Robert Moore

Herald Staff
rmoore@harrodsburgherald.com

The Harrodsburg-Mercer County Tourist Commission have finished repairs on the Diamond Point Welcome Center, but are considering their next steps in reassuring possible occupants about the historic building’s safety.

The Mercer County Chamber of Commerce moved out of their second story office earlier this year due to concerns about a damp spot on the wall. The tourist commission hired a contractor who dried out the office and made the necessary repairs to stop the issue from recurring. Daarik Gray, the executive-director of the tourist commission, told the board of directors that the Chamber wants a 100 percent guarantee there is no mold in the office before they will return.

Gray said there are currently no signs of mold, but they haven’t drilled holes in the wall to make absolutely sure. He said taking out a piece of wall wouldn’t prove anything, except there is no mold in the spot where the wall was removed.

One conundrum the board is facing is that doing everything possible to make sure there is no mold in the office–while reassuring to any possible tenants–could make the office more vulnerable to mold in the future. The main walls in Diamond Point are old school horsehair plaster, which is non-porous and does not support microbial growth. However, if a porous cellulose-based material such as drywall is used to repair a plaster wall, the drywall could grow mold.

The board discussed installing a monitoring system and a dehumidifier.

Board member David Coleman suggested taking a sample from the wall just to make sure.

“They don’t have to test for mold, they have to test for moisture behind the wall,” Coleman said.

For the rest of the story, check out this week’s issue of the Harrodsburg Herald. Click here to subscribe.

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