Developer Demolishes Twelve Vestal Houses

A dozen houses in a town of Vestal historic district have been torn down, despite efforts by preservationists to keep them standing.

The structures along the Vestal Parkway sat in the Rivercrest Historic District. Members of the Vestal Historic Preservation Commission had fought a demolition request by North Star Development Group. But the town board in February gave the company permission to remove the houses.

The old houses were on sites between the busy parkway and the Susquehanna River. The properties are just west of the Binghamton city line and are across from University Plaza.

In authorizing the demolition, town officials noted most of the structures were in poor condition. They also suggested there are more appropriate uses for the properties because of the heavy parkway traffic and the proximity to the river.

Early this month, employees of Sunstream Corporation of Binghamton began removing asbestos from the targeted houses.

Over the past few days, crews from the demolition division of LCP Group of Vestal tore down the structures.

North Star Development has not indicated what the company intends to do with the cleared sites.