More than two decades after IBM Corporation sold its sprawling country club property east of Endicott, the heart of the town of Union site remains empty.

The country club property off Watson Boulevard had served as an important part in the lives of thousands of IBM employees and their families for decades.

SEE VIDEO: What the site looks like today at the end of this article.

FLASHBACK: The IBM Country Club site on April 14, 2022 (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)
FLASHBACK: The IBM Country Club site on April 14, 2022 (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)
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IBM sold what had been renamed the Heritage Country Club and its associated property in December 2003.

The Broome County Local Development Corporation ultimately acquired nine acres of the site in 2022. The abandoned country club complex was demolished to clear the way for a 75-unit housing project.

Demolition of the old IBM Country Club buildings began on November 8, 2022. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)
Demolition of the old IBM Country Club buildings began on November 8, 2022. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)
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The apartment building was never built and the site has remained idle with no new redevelopment plan.

Town of Union supervisor Robert Mack didn't like the concept of building low-income housing on the site because the location was not ideal for families.

He said there would have been safety issues because that section of Watson Boulevard would be hazardous for children.

The old IBM Country Club parking lot on April 2, 2026. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)
The old IBM Country Club parking lot on April 2, 2026. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)
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Mack told WNBF News he thought "it was a terrible idea to put a housing project there first" before worrying about the needed infrastructure for people to safely get to retail areas to the east.

He said the site might be better suited for senior or luxury housing with residents who would be more likely to drive to their destinations.

The old IBM Country Club tennis courts south of Watson Boulevard on April 2, 2026. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)
The old IBM Country Club tennis courts south of Watson Boulevard on April 2, 2026. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)
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Mack noted the neighboring golf course would make the location attractive to many people.

But for now, he said he's now aware of any prospective developers who have expressed an interest in doing something with the site.

WNBF NEWS VIDEO: The IBM Country Club site on April 2, 2026.

 

Harsh Reality: A Look at the Old IBM Country Club

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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.

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