Cleaning Up Downtown Binghamton’s Grim “Mean Street”

The city of Binghamton is moving forward with some initial steps to bring back a downtown block lined with abandoned buildings.

The depressing scene of blight is on Fayette Street, just south of Columbus School which is home to the Binghamton City School District administrative offices. BOCES students also attend classes in the building.

The buildings between Susquehanna Street and Columbus Park East are supposed to be vacant but city police respond to frequent calls reporting criminal activity.

Police were sent to one of the properties Monday morning. Workers from Keystone Environmental Services were starting surveying work needed ahead of the planned demolition of two buildings.

Mayor Jared Kraham recently told WNBF News he wants them removed "as quickly as possible."

The city plans to use a state grant to cover half the cost of taking down three Fayette Street buildings.

The mayor said the other nearby abandoned structures are privately owned. He said "the biggest sources of blight" and criminal activity are the three that are owned by the city.

Kraham said the city has received permission to go forward with some of the required pre-demolition screenings.

The city became the owner of four Fayette Street properties as part of a legal settlement with Isaac Anzaroot which was announced by Kraham in December 2023.

WNBF NEWS VIDEOS: A bit of what we observed on Fayette Street on June 9, 2025.

WNBF NEWS FLASHBACK: The initial assessment of an abandoned Binghamton neighborhood in May 2025.

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.