Bing. University Battery Hub Construction Moving Forward

Development of a battery technology research center in Johnson City is continuing.

A research and development complex is being constructed in the former Gannett newspaper printing plant south of CFJ Boulevard. The project was announced in 2024.

A sign outside the future battery research and development center in Johnson City. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)

The $50 million newspaper production facility operated for only 12 years before it was shut down in a Gannett cost-cutting move in 2018. The property now is owned by the Binghamton University Foundation.

According to a university spokesperson, the site is "now fully prepared to receive the clean and dry rooms, along with the battery prototyping equipment."

A large Binghamton University "B" logo has been installed on the Johnson City building. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)

In a statement, he said deliveries are scheduled to begin in July. That will be followed "by installation and commissioning through the fall."

The facility "is on track to have sample battery cells coming off the line by the end of the year."

Binghamton University has been designated the lead organization for the project to develop new battery components and sustainable cell manufacturing.

FLASHBACK: Part of a German-manufactured printing press outside the closed Gannett newspaper plant in Johnson City before it was dumped at a scrapyard on March 21, 2019 . (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com or call (607) 545-2250. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.

LOOK: 25 Everyday Objects From the 1980s You Totally Forgot About

From kitchen gadgets to clunky electronics and classroom staples, the 1980s were packed with unforgettable everyday objects. Scroll through and see how many of these totally normal ’80s staples you remember.

Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz

Did Anyone Watch These TV Shows in the 1980s and 1990s?

While you might think “watching while distracted” is a modern habit, even back in the day the TV was just… there, humming along while you did other things. These were the shows that weren’t exactly “must-see TV,” more like “might-see TV” — part of the culture, but you had to wonder: who was actually watching?

Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz