Speculation Swirls Around Old McDonald's Site in Endwell

Three months after the sudden shutdown of an McDonald's restaurant, people in the town of Union are talking about what's next for the East Main Street site.

The Endwell fast food outlet sold its final Big Mac on January 15. A few weeks later, workers showed up to remove a large Ronald McDonald statue and all other markings related to the Golden Arches.

A lonely "Ronald McDonald" stood in the corner of a closed Endwell restaurant play area on January 25, 2023. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)

Mac-Clark Restaurants of Utica had operated the McDonald's at 3333 East Main Street in recent years. A company representative said Mac-Clark no longer is involved in the property, which is owned by a unit of McDonald's Corporation.

Town of Union supervisor Robert Mack told WNBF News he doesn't know what may happen to the site, which previously was owned by the town.

The Hooper School building had been a fixture on the property for nearly eight decades. The town acquired it from the Maine-Endwell School District.

For a time, it was used for town offices, a state police substation and the studios of WSKG public television. It also served as headquarters for the Union Volunteer Emergency Squad.

After the old school building was torn down, McDonald's purchased the property for $82,000 in January 1997.

The old McDonald's building on East Main Street in Endwell on March 8, 2023. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)

Mack said he believes the site might once again be used by the emergency squad. The organization now has a station located just west of where the restaurant had operated.

In a WNBF News interview, the town supervisor said "it's the perfect middle location to service the entire town of Union."

Robert Brady, president of the squad's board of directors, agreed that the site would be a good location for a new facility. But, he noted, "money is always an issue." He indicated it could be challenging to line up the financial resources for such a project.

In addition to its Endwell station, the emergency squad has ambulances based at sites in West Endicott and in Westover, near the Johnson City line.

The Union Volunteer Emergency Squad station on Avenue B in Endwell on April 1, 2023. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)

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.

50 Most Popular Chain Restaurants in America

YouGov investigated the most popular dining brands in the country, and Stacker compiled the list to give readers context on the findings. Read on to look through America's vast and divergent variety of restaurants—maybe you'll even find a favorite or two.

LOOK: 20 American foods that raise eyebrows outside of the US

Stacker compiled a list of 20 unusual and uniquely American foods that might raise eyebrows outside the U.S.

QUIZ: Can you identify 50 famous companies by their logos?

How well do you know the logos of 50 of the world's most famous companies? Keep scrolling to see if you can guess which icon belongs to which brand.

LOOK: 50 songs you won't believe are turning 50 this year

From classic rock anthems to disco hits and everything in between, Stacker surveyed Billboard's Hot 100 list of top songs in 1973 and highlighted the top 50.