Crews began demolishing the long-abandoned Kenmore building at 263 Washington St. in the City of Binghamton on April 23.
At about 11 a.m., LCP Group of Vestal, a demolition team hired by the city, began tearing down the blighted building after City of Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham said multiple attempts were made to contact the building’s owners.
Kraham demanded in a Facebook post on April 10 that the owners demolish the building by April 14 or the city “will demolish it and send them the bill.” Nearly two weeks later, the building was being torn down by the city.
While standing in front of the crumbling four-story structure, Kraham addressed the long-term legal saga with property owners, saying the building has been left in disrepair for over 10 years.
“Early in my administration, they tried to submit building plans that were just not up to code,” he said. “We can’t allow people to build a building that’s going to be unsafe.”
The property has been owned by Philip Costa, Kevin Findley and Philmar Holdings LLC since 2009. Costa was convicted of 50 misdemeanors related to code violations at the property following a criminal trial in Binghamton City Court in December 2025. Findley, Kraham said, has a warrant out for his arrest and remains “on the lam.”
Costa and Findley were cited by the City of Binghamton’s Code Enforcement Department for violating various counts of the New York State Property Maintenance Code, including areas of collapsing masonry, deteriorated masonry joints, falling bricks, damaged sections of the roof and gutters, damaged window frames and debris in the rear of the property.
In 2018, Philmar Holdings LLC applied for a state grant as a part of the Greater Binghamton Fund strategic investment plan and was given $500,000 to begin the renovation of the building into 26 modern studio apartments. Despite receiving the funding, the plan was ultimately abandoned by the property owners, according to Kraham.
Kraham said an engineering firm recently gained access to the building and was able to create a report on the status of the structure’s integrity as part of the ongoing code violation case. This information, in combination with assessments conducted by the City of Binghamton Fire Marshal who determined the building was “incredibly dangerous for first responders,” led to the demolition, according to Kraham.
“It’s a shame to see a building that had potential maybe five or 10 years ago to have it come to this, but ultimately we couldn’t let the status quo continue,” Kraham said.
The demolition of the building comes at a cost of $100,000, according to Kraham. This price, he said, will not be paid by the city, and he is seeking reimbursement from the property owners. The building was expected to be torn down by the end of the day April 23, and the rubble is expected to be cleaned up within a week.
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Binghamton demolishes abandoned Kenmore building; owner ‘on the lam’
Reporting by Jillian McCarthy, Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin / Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin
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