Noise Fills Downtown Binghamton During Parking Ramp Construction

People shopping and working in downtown Binghamton are getting an earful as pile driving for a scaled-down redevelopment project moves forward.

Construction operations are underway on Water Street next door to the Boscov's department store.

When pile driving is underway, people for blocks around the site are treated to 48  loud "bangs" a minute. It's not known how much longer the racket will continue.

City officials had pushed for development of a $60 million parking garage and apartment complex on the site.

An old parking facility at the location was closed in December 2021 because of safety concerns involving deteriorating concrete and steel in the structure.

Plans for the original project were shot down by the Binghamton city school board when it voted unanimously against a proposed tax break package for the developers.

Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham said the parking garage plan would move forward while the future of a residential component of the project was being reconsidered.

At a special meeting, the Water Street Redevelopment Corporation voted to authorize the mayor to restructure the project.

Pike Development is under contract to have construction of the new parking garage completed by September 14.

VIDEO: Hear the construction work in downtown Binghamton.

TIP: Remove your headphones and turn down your speaker.

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

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