A credit union primed to move next to the standalone Starbucks along Route 443 in Mahoning Township has broken ground.

First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union held a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday afternoon for its new financial center that will be located at 1241 Blakeslee Blvd. Drive.

Members of First Commonwealth, along with Boyle Construction leadership, gathered at the eventual site of the new 2,600-square-foot financial center.

The credit union inside the Carbon Plaza Mall plans to move to the former Country Harmony site, which closed in April 2023 and was demolished to make way for the credit union.

Donna LoStocco, president and CEO of First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union, noted the groundbreaking “marks a significant milestone for First Commonwealth and our members.”

“Our new Lehighton Financial Center will not only offer enhanced services and cutting-edge amenities but also reinforce our dedication to positively impacting the communities we serve,” LoStocco said. “We look forward to continuing our growth journey and empowering financial resilience among all our members.”

The single-story building will include drive-through lanes, 18 parking spaces and would use the revised entrance from Route 443 to a new connection to the mall.

“We wanted to make sure we had (enough space) for our fabulous staff and also the members of the community,” LoStocco said. “When we looked, hands-down, this was the best place to move.”

LoStocco thanked their partners, which include Boyle Construction, Van Cleef Engineering, Benchmark Civil Engineering, FL & B Law, Larken Associates, and LTL Consultants, along with the First Commonwealth team members, from the First Commonwealth Carbon Plaza branch (who will move to the new building once it’s complete), and all First Commonwealth First Credit Union teams who helped make the new building a reality.

The new building is set to be completed around May 2025.

The current Lehighton Financial Center will continue to operate until the new location is fully functional.

This would mark the second time in less than a decade that First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union will move.

The Lehigh Valley based credit union moved the branch from South Seventh Street, Lehighton, into the Carbon Plaza Mall in 2018.

To learn more about First Commonwealth’s offerings, visit firstcomcu.org.