http://www.news-gazette.com
January 15, 2010
A $24,236 study of mold and microbiological growth at the 138-room lodge wasn't submitted to state officials until Tuesday.
"We got the mold assessment report back a little later than we thought and we wanted to give people ample time to review it," said Chris McCloud, a spokesman for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, which is maintaining the property that was closed by a court order last July.
The report estimates that it would cost $892,500 just to remove mold-damage infrastructure and contents from the resort.
Among the costs: $200,000 to remove 60 percent of the gypsum wallboard at the resort, $122,500 to tear out carpeting and padding, $100,000 to remove materials in the indoor swimming pool area and clean it, and $125,000 to clean the contents of the resort, including linens, towels, drapes and furniture.
The mold assessment, performed by D.A.S. Consulting Services of Springfield, a certified industrial hygienist, also concluded there could be more damage at the resort.
"It should be noted that since water intrusion issues have not been addressed and repairs have not been conducted, the amplification of microbiological growth will continue," said the report. "Therefore, removal of additional building materials will probably be necessary."
Further, no cost estimate was offered for new construction and replacement of furnishings in the 23-year-old resort.
The new delay makes it virtually certain that reopening the resort this year – which IDNR officials had publicly hoped for last summer – won't occur.
"We hoped the process would allow for that but this isn't something that we do all the time," McCloud said. "We had to go through a process and there were some things that we needed to make sure that we addressed, things that were expressed to us. Our goal is to have (Eagle Creek) open. We know that's important. But we have to give the person or persons who would run it as much information as they need."
McCloud said the mold assessment was done because "people have expressed concern that in order to lay money on the line or get a loan from banks, they needed detailed information about exactly what kind of mold issue there was."
One potential bidder for Eagle Creek, Dennis Fayhee, owner of the Sullivan Marina and Campground, said he fears the new report could damage any hope of rehabilitating the resort, once considered a vacation gem in central Illinois.
"They've basically, maybe not intentionally, put a bulls-eye on that thing, by having that study done the way it was," Fayhee said.
"To me, anyone who stays there now and who gets sick, they're going to sue you," I don't think anyone's going to be able to get loans on it now, the way that report is written."
He said he believes cost estimates for the mold remediation are "exaggerated," and that conditions at the facility "aren't as bad as this indicates. I'm more concerned now about the public's reaction to this."
But state Sen. Kyle McCarter, R-Lebanon, whose district includes Eagle Creek, said it was important for the state to be honest and transparent with potential bidders."
"The truth is, there's mold," he said. "I don't think anyone would want us to hide the fact that there's mold there. How many people would be upset if it looked like we were trying to cover it up?
"I'd rather extend the (bid) deadline and do this the right way."
Fayhee said he believes some Eagle Creek bidders may only propose to operate its 18-hole golf course and possibly a marina.
"If you just bid on the golf course and maybe the marina, who has the liability for the buildings?" Fayhee said. "Who will tear it down and do whatever they have to do with it?"
He said the state would be better off taking legal action against Barry Shiffman and Edwin Edelberg, the former owners of Eagle Creek.
"I just don't understand why they don't try to recover the money," Fayhee said.
If your home,office or lodge shows signs of mold contamination, contact Turtle Clan Environment Testing. Turtle Clan follows the IAQA, IESO, AMIAQ Council and AIHA recommendations for testing indoor environments with mold contamination.
No comments:
Post a Comment