Endicott Mayor: Demolition of IBM Buildings Expected “Very Soon”

A cluster of old unused IBM buildings along North Street in Endicott could be torn down this summer.

That's according to village Mayor Linda Jackson, who on Monday said the new owners of the Huron Campus property are moving forward with plans to demolish the structures east of McKinley Avenue.

Endicott officials for several years have been pushing for removal of the crumbling buildings that are becoming more unsightly and potentially dangerous.

The village's application for the state's Downtown Revitalization Initiative called for redeveloping a 15-acre site on North Street between McKinley and Hayes avenues.

The proposal would involve demolition of five vacant IBM buildings and the use of the former Endicott Forging Works site, which has already been cleared.

Jackson said Huron representatives are working on the steps needed to separate utility lines along McKinley Avenue to prepare for the massive project to remove the old structures.

Speaking on WNBF Radio's Binghamton Now program about the start of demolition, the mayor said "I expect it to be very soon."

Jackson said the property owners have been coordinating the project with village police because McKinley Avenue traffic will be affected when a pedestrian walkway that crosses the busy street is removed.

The mayor said she believes the building demolition work will be done this summer. She said "we really need them down."

Once the unused structures are gone, Jackson said Imperium 3 New York and Ubiquity Solar will be able to develop their plans to redevelop the site.

Chris Pelto, who oversees Huron Campus operations, could not be reached for comment about the project. The former IBM manufacturing property was acquired by Milwaukee-based Phoenix Investors last fall.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.