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Ellis Brothers Furniture plans to renovate the old Penney building at Court and Hawley streets. [Bob Joseph/WNBF News][/caption]

Ellis Brothers Furniture plans to consolidate its downtown Binghamton operations at a single location.

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The south side of the building that will be the new home of Ellis Brothers. [Bob Joseph/WNBF News][/caption]

The family-owned business, which has been a fixture in the city for more than a century, had planned to keep its Washington Street store open when it completed renovations at a second site.

But co-owner Richard Ellis said the company now intends to house all of its downtown business in the former J.C Penney building at the corner of Court and Hawley streets.

Ellis said the company had intended to double its downtown presence and operate two stores. He said that plan fell through because the business didn't receive certain things which had been expected from the city and state governments.

Now, Ellis said, the company hopes to receive the permits needed to proceed with a renovation project at the old Penney building.

Ellis said the family now expects to start operations at the 1 Hawley Street site in mid-to-late February.

Ellis said the business now has about 20 employees. He said the company intended to add several workers when it opened at the second location. With the revised plan, the number of employees likely will remain at its current level.

Ellis expressed disappointment that the plan for a downtown expansion is not going to become a reality.

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The Ellis family purchased this building at 159 Washington Street in 1931. [Bob Joseph/WNBF News][/caption]

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