Purposefully scheduled to blend in with the Old Fashioned Christmas community events in downtown Emmaus Dec. 2, borough officials held a ribbon-cutting and open house to spotlight the $5.4 million renovation of Emmaus Borough Hall.

Emmaus Borough Council Vice President Chris DeFrain served as host of the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Jubilee Street entrance to the building, as a sizable crowd watched from the closed-off street.

DeFrain took on the host role as council President Brent Labenberg was not available.

DeFrain reviewed the history of the borough office’s renovations and spotlighted the benefits the refurbished building will provide to borough residents.

He said new meeting space, a new closed-circuit television security system, improved technology, an elevator, new handicap parking spaces and a number of other improvements would make it much easier and increase security for residents to interact with borough administrators.

The borough hall renovation was part of a $10 million project that included major upgrades to emergency services Central Station facilities, 420 S. Sixth St. and minor upgrades to the police department facility along Jubilee Street.

DeFrain said while an entirely new location for the borough’s administrative offices was considered, borough council decided keeping the borough hall at its downtown area, at the corner of Fourth and Jubilee streets made more sense and would help make the area more vibrant.

The Fourth Street location closed December 2021 as part of the infrastructure and office space improvements and restoration project.

Borough administrative activities were temporarily located on Tenth Street, with the move back to the established borough hall, 28 S. Fourth St., taking place Sept. 5.

Borough Manager Shane Pepe, who planned and supervised the move of files, furniture, computers and personal business equipment and items back to the Fourth Street location, said the move required an “all hands on deck” effort by all of the borough’s public works employees. Pepe praised the workers for their dedicated support on very hot, humid late-summer days.

After the physical move, another big effort was required Sept. 6 and following days, to “put everything back together” with file cabinets, and furniture in place and phones and computers back up and running for the reopening of the borough hall for resident business.

After things were moving smoothly, Pepe said it was time to start planning an official opening with proclamations, a ribbon-cutting and an open house allowing visitors to see the transition that had taken place since 2021.

Pepe said the date chosen coincided with the Old Fashioned Christmas in Emmaus community event to maximize the ability of residents to enjoy the double activity.

Cookies and hot chocolate followed the official ceremony and visitors circulated through the building to see the improvements. Judging from the positive comments to the guides showing off their new quarters, it appears the renovation was a success.