On New Year’s Eve, local officials gathered to witness the beginning of the end for the former IBM campus in Endicott.
On a sunny Tuesday morning, the sounds of demolition machinery could be heard tearing down vacant buildings on the Huron campus in the heart of the village.
Broome County Executive Jason Garner said the demolition will take about five months and create shovel-ready space for future development.
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Demolition begins on former IBM campus in Endicott
New York State Sen. Lee Webb said the building’s demolition will pave the way for meaningful new development and continue the area’s track record of innovation.
“Here in the Southern Tier, we are the birthplace of not only IBM, but many other economic development initiatives that have had an impact not only on the region and the state, but certainly the nation and beyond,” Webb said. . “We look forward to seeing great things come from this location and the surrounding community.”
Demolition of the former IBM site in Endicott began on the morning of Tuesday, December 31, 2024.
Once demolition is complete, the site will be one of, if not the last, large shovel-ready sites in Broome County, Garner said.
Village President Nick Burlingame said the demolition of the site will be an emotional one for Endicott, marking the end of an era but the beginning of a new era for the village.
“This once cornerstone of global industry will soon be transformed into something new: a place of opportunity and growth for future generations,” Burlingame said Tuesday. “Establishing a shovel-ready site here will provide the foundation for new businesses, new jobs, and new dreams. This site will play an important role in shaping Endicott’s next chapter. There is no doubt in my mind that I will fulfill my role in the past.
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Approaching 100 years since its predecessor changed its name to International Business Machines in 1924, IBM will vacate its last physical location in Endicott in October 2023, when the company moves to North Street They refused to renew the lease for the building at 1701.
The company has long been involved in environmental and health concerns in Endicott, including remediation efforts stemming from spills in the 1970s. IBM has invested millions of dollars in cleaning and containing contaminated areas.
Burlingame said the site currently being demolished is safer than other sites because it consists primarily of office buildings and little industrial development.
Burlingame said the site will be monitored by teams from IBM and the New York State Department of Environmental Protection during demolition to ensure no toxins are released into the community.
“In terms of the potential impact of this location, IBM, the village, and DEC consider this location to be a very low-key location because it was primarily office space,” he said.
This article originally appeared in Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Demolition begins on former IBM building in Endicott
