New Apartment Plan to Address Johnson City Blighted Properties

A New Jersey man is working to improve part of a blighted area near a Main Street gateway into Johnson City.

Ben Locke has plans to renovate a vacant three-story building at 6 Main Street Terrace. The renovated structure is expected to include three one-bedroom, three two-bedroom and three three-bedroom apartments. Work to gut the interior of the building recently began

Locke had intended to demolish a neighboring three-story structure at 78 Main Street. But he now is looking at the feasibility of saving the building. He said engineers will inspect it to determine if it would be possible to rehabilitate it and make several more apartments available. If that structure can't be renovated, it will be taken down to provide parking for the tenants in the adjacent building.

Locke said he also has just acquired another nearby property. The vacant building at 29-31 Carhart Avenue is to be removed to provide parking.

The total cost of the project now is estimated at $375,000. The goal is to develop market-rate apartments that would be attractive to professionals who work in the area.

Locke has acquired and renovated apartment buildings in Binghamton in recent years.

Johnson City Mayor Martin Meaney said he believes the project will be good for the village. He noted that area has "been blighted for some time."

A long-time business next to the Johnson City apartment project site also is making plans to spruce up the exterior of its building. A representative of Shaul's Appliance at 72 Main Street said work on its renovation project should start in March.

WATCH: A walk through the area of the planned work off Main Street in Johnson City.

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

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.