Freddie Lesher, Palmerton contactor, announced he hopes to reopen the former Butz Building Center in Palmerton by early October. The business will be called the Palmerton Lumber Company.

Lesher is purchasing the Palmerton and Lehighton building centers from Core-States Bank, which took over the properties from their former owner, Michael Carty, in late March.

Lesher said employees are already working in the Palmerton building, including 90 percent of them who were working for Butz.

A decision on the Lehighton building will be made at a later date, he said.