Carbon County Children and Youth staff were busy Monday morning, moving their things into their new office building in Lehighton.

The department was formerly housed at 76 Susquehanna St., Jim Thorpe, but had outgrown the office space so a new building, located at 525 Iron St., was purchased from St. Luke’s University Health Network and transformed into a multifunctional space with enough room for staff to work, conduct family interviews and meet with clients.

The building, which includes a newly constructed portion that will include fiscal data, is decorated in calm blue colors with pops of greens.

Commissioner Rocky Ahner said that the sheriff’s office will provide security at the building during office hours, much like the department does at other county office buildings.

Carbon County purchased the building from St. Luke’s at a cost of $500,000 last year. St. Luke’s wound care center still operates inside the building until a new site is constructed.

Construction at the site began in January when a portion of the building that was in disrepair was demolished before being rebuilt. Renovations totaled just over $2.5 million, which was covered using American Rescue Plan funding that will be reimbursed by Children and Youth’s budget through the state.