The Palmerton Borough Council has purchased property at 511 Lehigh Ave. for $36,700.

The purchase of the property, adjacent to the borough's fire station, was announced at the council meeting Thursday.Council has had an interest in acquiring the land since before the construction of the station, about five years ago, according to borough manager Rodger Danielson."The intent is, that the property is one half of the double that sits next to the borough's new municipal fire station, and we wanted to keep the property in case of expansion," Danielson said.Prior offers to the landowner had been rejected, but when the property went into foreclosure, the council jumped at the offer."It was being offered at a very good price. It had actually been appraised much higher than that, so it was a good opportunity," Danielson said.