State lawmakers expressed their continued support of renovations to the former Lehigh and New England Railroad Station in Lansford in December.

Lansford Borough acquired the former freight and passenger station along Dock Street from Ken and Jeannie Hill, who operated a machine shop there for 50 years.

The nearly 100-year-old brick station is rare survivor of the rail line, which ceased operation in the early 1960s, and could now see new life as the borough works to restore original features.

Carbon Career and Technical Institute design and mechanical engineering students completed conceptual drawings featuring market and food stalls, gift shops and a museum room.

Rail enthusiasts toured the building this year, even as the borough begins to uncover original features hidden behind the walls.

Lansford received a $75,000 Local Share Account grant to acquire the building, and second, $95,750 gaming grant is pending for the first phase of the renovations.

“We are continuing our efforts with local elected officials and community leaders throughout the Panther Valley to build upon the growth of tourism in Jim Thorpe, Tamaqua and White Haven,” wrote state Sen. David Argall and Rep. Doyle Heffley in a recent letter to the borough.

“The Lansford Train Station, once renovated, could be a natural partner to the nearby No. 9 Mine, which should soon expand far beyond its 14,000 annual visitors,” they wrote.

The legislators further stated that they support revitalization plans for the station, and hope that concerns expressed by local residents that council could halt work aren’t accurate.

“We are willing to continue to strongly support this effort, but we need willing local partners,” Argall and Heffley wrote.

The legislators said they worked with municipal officials and volunteers in other communities to find new uses for many beautiful old buildings, and in each case, these buildings are now the pride of the community.

“Please advise us how we can be of further assistance to Lansford to turn these revitalization dreams into realities, just as we have witnessed in other local communities,” Argall and Heffley said.

Borough Council President Bruce Markovich said the borough is awaiting confirmation from contractors, potentially interested in bidding on renovation work.