Carbon County entered into a lease agreement with Jim Thorpe borough for use of Memorial Hall for court-related events during the upcoming courthouse elevator project.

On Thursday, the commissioners approved a lease agreement for the rental of the first floor of the hall, located at 101 E. 10th St., from March 1 through June 30 at a cost of $250 a day when it is needed.

Commissioner Chris Lukasevich said the lease provides flexibility for the county because it will be used for jury selection, but will also be able to be used for trials and court proceedings if needed.

“It’s based on what the courts really need,” he said, noting that Jim Thorpe has been very accommodating with the county to make the space a flexible option during the project.

The elevator project is slated to kick off around March 21 and is expected to take approximately six weeks.

The county is responsible for upgrading the sound system at the site to meet its needs. The new system then becomes the property of Jim Thorpe.

The board noted that this is a good starting point to see how things would play out for the upcoming courthouse renovation project, which is expected to start early next year.

Last month, the county entered into lease agreements with Jim Thorpe School District and Sargent Enterprises Inc. of Jim Thorpe for space in the former Jim Thorpe Administration Building at 410 Center Ave.

The actions, which would move court offices temporarily, were due to the elevator project as well.