High-End Housing Planned for Binghamton’s Historic Perry Building

Office space in a prominent downtown Binghamton structure may soon be converted into apartments.

The four-story Perry Building at 89 Court Street would be turned into primarily a residential complex under a plan put forward by a prospective owner.

The property, which is under contract, had been listed for sale for about $1.5 million.

The city planning commission is reviewing a proposal to convert the top three floors of the iconic cast-iron building into nine apartments with a total of 18 bedrooms.

Jeffrey Smith of Chianis and Anderson Architects said much of the existing building would be reused under the conversion plan. He said while the first floor now is occupied, the remainder of the building is vacant.

Smith said three two-bedroom apartments are planned for each of the top floors. He said some exterior work would be done as part of the project.

Smith said the redevelopment job would be eligible for historic preservation tax credits, which "would be an important part of funding" the project.

Members of the planning commission this week raised concerns about trash disposal for the apartment complex. Under the proposal, garbage would be stored on each floor until it was brought down to the street for the weekly collection.

The Court Street building was designed by noted architect Isaac Perry. It was featured in the movie Liebestraum, which was shot in Binghamton in 1990.

The planning commission has scheduled a public hearing on the project for its March meeting.

An earlier proposal by another prospective buyer to develop apartments in the Perry Building was scrapped.

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

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