IBM Endicott Old Building Demolition Day: December 31

Many people won't believe it until they see it but a date has now been announced for the start of the demolition of several unused IBM buildings in Endicott.

Chris Pelto, who manages the Huron Campus for Phoenix Investors, said all of the agencies that needed to give their final approval for the project have now done so.

Pelto told WNBF News on Thursday the demolition project is to begin on December 31.

The buildings along North Street made up what once was IBM's sprawling manufacturing complex in the village, which is considered by many to be "The Birthplace of IBM."

The structures to be torn down are part of what's known as the "Old Building Group." They contain 550,000 square feet of space.

It's been a year since the state announced it would provide $6 million to help pay some of the cost of removing the crumbling IBM structures.

Despite that funding, the state Historic Preservation Office demanded that a series of conditions be met before the demolition work could start.

The agency gave "conditional approval" for the project last month, clearing the way for Gorick Construction of Binghamton to begin taking down the buildings.

One of the final matters that had to be addressed was the reconstruction of a tunnel that runs under North Street and McKinley Avenue. That tunnel provides utility access to Huron Campus buildings and a few sections needed to be replaced.

Endicott Mayor Nick Burlingame said the unused buildings had "become a safety concern for the village" as well as an eyesore.

Pelto is expressing relief that the demolition is about to begin. He said it's something he's been working on since 2008.

The process of removing the old structures is expected to take four to six months. Once they are gone, there will be a 10-acre shovel-ready site east of McKinley Avenue available for redevelopment.

Pelto said a "couple of different possibilities" are being considered but nothing has been finalized. He said the future of the site "depends on funding" prospective developers are able to secure.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.