Fifteen bids were received for five contracts for a building renovation project for Carbon County Children and Youth Services.

On Thursday, the county commissioners opened the bids through PennBid for the five contracts, which will cover phase 1 of the 525 Iron St., Lehighton building renovations.

Phase one includes preparing the building for the current staff at the Children and Youth department. Not every bidder bid on each contract, creating a little confusion because of the new online bidding process.

Based on projections of the lowest bids in each contract, the total cost for phase 1 is a little more than $2 million.

Carbon County earmarked $3 million from the American Rescue Plan funds it received for the project. Those funds will be reimbursed over time by Children and Youth.

Commissioner Rocky Ahner said it looks like the bids are lower than expected, but the county will now turn it over to Boyle Construction for review before awarding the contracts in two weeks.

Carbon County purchased the Lehighton building from St. Luke’s earlier this year with the hopes of creating enough space to meet the demands of the Children and Youth department.

Additional phases for the project include 1A and 2, which will provide renovations of St. Luke’s wound care center once it moves out of the building.