Posted November 5, 20159 yr Binghamton is a place I knew nothing about before stumbling on a thread 10 years ago in one of my first UrbanOhio explorations. I was astounded by the urbanity and architecture of such a remote, little-known city, and vowed to visit. I finally made it last month during an eastern swing to visit old friends in Syracuse and NYC -- and also got shots of other old industrial mountain towns in New York and Pennsylvania. Binghamton is an old industrial city that had a population over 75,000 in the 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s -- with a 1950 high of 80,000. It now has 46,000 in a metro area of 250,000. Major industries have included cigars, shoes, defense (starting with flight simulators), and technology (IBM was founded nearby and had a major presence until about 20 years ago -- at a time when local defense industries were shutting down, too.) Valvoline also started here, as did Dick's Sporting Goods -- originally a neighborhood fishing store. Tech is still part of the local economy, with Binghamton University (15,000 enrollment), which has a downtown campus that is helping the revitalize the core a bit. The 1892 Stone Opera House on Chenango Street The Strand, next door The Press Building, 1904 -- former home of the defunct Binghamton Press, long vacant, possible site of new student housing -- 12 stories, and the city's tallest until a new state office tower in the 1960s. One of the most striking buildings I've ever seen. Press Building from the other side, with the newly restored, four-story 1876 Perry building in the foreground The 1904 Security Mutual Building -- Binghamton's second-grandest -- looking down Court Street on the courthouse square Perry Building, looking across courthouse square toward the old city hall Better view of the Perry Chenango Street and Press to the left; Court Street and Mutual building to the right; modern urban roundabout in the foreground Colier Street, just west of the courthouse Guess what this is? Right: The Broome County Courthouse Looking east along Court Street at all the aformentioned buildings (note the Press peeking above the Perry on the right) There it is again! Old City Hall New City Hall (note the contrast) The new City Hall is part of the new Government plaza behind (south of) the courthouse. The plaza is dominated by this 1960s state office building. West on Hawley street from Government Plaza East, with one of the new county buildings Fairly tasteful courthouse addition to the right; YWCA in center Mutual building behind the courthouse addition Mix of styles. YWCA YWCA closeup Those two gems again -- looking up Exchange Street toward the courthouse square Again The Press, looming above east Court Street Close-up Even closeupper Looking west through the courthouse square Infill or rehab on East Court South on Exchange fron the courthouse; YWCA on the right Perry again; west Court Street angles to the right West on Court Again North on State Street, a block west of the courthouse South on State Back toward the square A plaza where the street was blocked off Brewpub on Court Back toward the square again A Downtown department store! Boscov's (Wikipedia tells me) is based in Reading, Pa., and has 44 stores in the East Holiday Inn Binghamton Looking north from Court Street above the Chenango River, which, a few blocks south, flows into the Susquahenna Zooming in on the Mutual building at the courthouse square -- looks like a real city Side street businesses Post Office, on Henry Street Neat old building at henry and State North on State Telephone building and mixed use at Henry and Chenango Institutional-looking housing across the street Kilmer Building on Chenango, a few blocks north of the square. Built 1903 by the Kilmer family, which made its fortune on "patent medicine" and also owned the Press building
November 5, 20159 yr Binghamton is a gem. Great photos. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
November 5, 20159 yr Wow. I stayed outside Binghamton, near the SUNY campus, once while on a work trip, and now I really regret not going into downtown. Great pics
November 5, 20159 yr My company once sent me there to field travel with a sales rep...never really made it downtown though...great set!
November 5, 20159 yr Wow. I stayed outside Binghamton, near the SUNY campus, once while on a work trip, and now I really regret not going into downtown. Great pics As an aside SUNY Binghamton has a stellar academic reputation, one of the best state U's in the nation. At least that's what a onetime co-worker who went there frequently kept reminding me. He was so annoying! :laugh: http://www.mainstreetpainesville.org/
November 6, 20159 yr nice work with good old bing'n! i hope you made sure to have some spiedies at lupos or somewhere while you were there? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiedie
November 6, 20159 yr Oh, no!! I failed to do proper research! I thrive on quirky local foods and I missed this. I'll get it next time.
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