Residents of Lehighton who live near the future Children and Youth building will see some changes as work progresses to get it ready for the department.

On Thursday, Commissioner Rocky Ahner showcased an architectural design of the front of the Iron Street building, which the county purchased from St. Luke’s earlier this year.

The current front of the building has not been used in years and is in need of major renovations to make it usable.

Because of this, the county decided that it will demolish that portion of the building and create a new two-story section. That portion of the building will provide additional square footage that can be used for fiscal and the Children and Youth department, as well as hide HVAC equipment for the building.

Ahner said the reason the county is proceeding with demolishing that portion and rebuilding is due to costs. It will cost less this way than to try and renovate the existing structure.

He pointed out that the roof will be a pitched roof.

Ahner wants to utilize the art departments at area school districts for murals in designated areas to brighten up the area for patrons.

Carbon County purchased the 525 Iron St. building in February at a cost of $500,000. Commissioner Chris Lukasevich cast the sole no vote because he wanted to wait for the feasibility study results.

The building currently houses the St. Luke’s wound care center and additional empty office space. It has 9,641 square feet of space usable on the main floor, with an additional 5,000 square feet of space in the basement. The 1,904 square feet of unrenovated space in the front of the building will be recreated through the upcoming project.

St. Luke’s is renting the space from the county until wound care can relocate to Franklin Township once a medical building that St. Luke’s is proposing is constructed.

Carbon County currently has 26 employees in the Children and Youth department but will be expanding to help lower the caseloads per caseworker as per the state requirements. That department uses 4,800 square feet at its present location in Jim Thorpe, but has outgrown that size.

Ahner said the county is on track to go out to bid for the project in August.