Plan to Develop Apartments in Binghamton Office Building On Hold

A proposal to convert most of a downtown Binghamton office tower into dozens of apartments won't be moving forward in the near future.

James Slocum of Conklin has outlined a plan for the building at 59 Court Street for an 87-bedroom project that would include 66 dwelling units.

Slocum presented the proposal to the city planning commission last November. He was seeking a site plan review and a special use permit to redevelop the building in three phases.

In recent years, the property has housed offices for various businesses. The lower levels of the building have been used by WNBF Radio and its related stations since 1997.

The proposed apartment project is on hold for now. Slocum recently said while there's potential for it in the future, he doesn't expect any new developments "in the next few months." He said "a few kinks" had occurred between the prospective buyers and sellers since he appeared before the planning commission. He said he views the concept as "a great idea" for the site, saying "it's a great building and a great location."

John Maczko of Vestal has owned the property for ten years. He said of the plan: "I don't see it necessarily flying." For now, he stressed he's committed to maintaining a "first-class operation for tenants" who are currently leasing space in the building.

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