Visible progress is being made on the Elk’s Home on Cumberland Avenue.

“Earlier this year, we updated the community at a city council meeting that we had received an approval from the State’s Section 106 to start work on this historic landmark in our downtown’s historic district for clean-up and mitigation,” Middlesboro Main Street Director Emily Ayers explained. “We are very happy to report this progress that is being made on our Environmental Protection Agency Brownfield Grant.”

According to Ayers, Middlesboro Main Street has been working with their consultants PM Environmental, KCTCS Mitigation Program at Southeast Community and Technical College, and the State, Bell County and city of Middlesboro to get the insurance, equipment rental and structural report in order to begin.

“A local contractor from Middlesboro has been secured and licensed for mitigation through the KCTCS Mitigation program and has hired local workers in our community to get started on this extensive project in our downtown,” said Ayers.

The front windows of the structure have been boarded up with black painted plywood. Prior to the work, those windows were previously open.

“We have lined the fence with a Green Construction screen and hung an informational banner with the Grant Award Partners and pictures of the Elk’s Home in its prime to help with the eyesore in the community while the clean-up is underway,” Ayers explained.

The next steps are to cut the trees out utilizing a unique form of removing the roots and using brick from the cleanup to repair the structure where the trees have caused damage.

“They will also be installing structural supports to the areas that are needed to move forward with the exterior clean up and start clean up on the inside,” she said. “We will be working with Southeast for roofing in the next phases.”

Ayers explained that there are multiple grants that are being explored for additional funding after the cleanup process is complete to start the renovations of the property.

“We are thankful for the community’s support in this project,” Ayers said. “This won’t happen overnight, but we strongly believe that if we rally together as a community we can restore this beauty to its full potential.”

If you know of a worker or would like to see about open positions please contact our contractor John West at 606-242-9647.