20-Apartment Building Torn Down for University Greenspace Project

A five-story apartment house is the latest structure to be demolished as Binghamton University clears a large area near its Johnson City health sciences campus.

Property records indicate the building at 23 Lewis Street had 20 apartments. The site is between Main Street and the Decker College of Nursing facility on Corliss Avenue.

Workers from Gorick Construction began to tear down the apartment building on Tuesday. They expect the site will be cleared by the end of the week.

The property and a nearby vacant lot were acquired for the university from the George Coury Trust in March 2020. The properties were purchased for $475,000.

A former neighborhood resident watched in silence as the apartment house as heavy equipment was used to slowly remove the building.

Gorick started the process of demolishing several residential and commercial buildings in the neighborhood in May. The demolitions are expected to be completed by the end of the month.

The goal of the project is to create a greenspace area between the university buildings and Main Street.

Binghamton University president Harvey Stenger has said the project will provide a convenient, attractive and safe connection between the health sciences campus and the downtown business district.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com or (607) 772-8400 extension 233.

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