This was BAE Systems during the 2011 flood.

 

 

 

The international military defense company in Johnson City was heavily damaged for the second time in five years. It’s a site that once housed more than 1,300 people sits vacant to this day.

"We do have a lot of areas that could use some help and could use some new business and a new residents," said Union Supervisor Rick Materese.

But that could soon change.

 

 

 

 

Broome County's IDA released a request for interest to developers both locally and nationwide. The new property would be elevated by 8-feet and out of the flood plain.

"By raising that 12-acre pad out of the flood plain, we're not concerned at this point that it would cause any displacement issues," said Broome County IDA Deputy Director of Community & Economic Development Stacey Duncan.

The massive 27-acre site is now open to developers. Local leaders are hoping to bring in market-rate and senior housing, along with commercial space.

"Some of the housing that we're looking for is those retired people that don’t want to live in that big house anymore, but they want to live in a nice place, so we're hoping to develop that here too, giving more options here in Johnson City and in the town of Union," said Materese.

The location sits just a couple of miles from Binghamton University's Health Sciences campus. Many believe this makes the site even more appealing to investors.

"It's hopefully a re-birth of this area so we can bring in more businesses, more people, more residents,” said Materese.

The requests for interest will be collected after 45 days.