The United Group-Pike Joint-Venture submitted the winning proposal for that RFP, and to-date they have partnered with City of Binghamton representatives to identify key planning and programming issues to ensure that the needs and expectations of the project are met. This partnership will continue as we move forward to secure the project’s ultimate success.  

The project is comprised of two key components: 

1. A new five-level, 179,350gsf municipal parking structure containing +/-482 parking spaces. This parking structure will accommodate a third-level connection to a parking area above Boscov’s Department Store, which will provide an additional +/-18 parking spaces (for a total of +/-500 spaces). 
2. A new five-story, 140,100gsf residential structure accommodating 120 market-rate housing units (mix of 1BR and 2BR types) – including 6 workforce housing units (at 80% AMI). 

The goal is that the mix of these programmatic elements on this urban site will attract residents to the downtown core and help promote activity, growth, and vibrancy in the City of Binghamton. 

Site Plan / Street Level / First Floor Level 
The extent of the proposed building effectively replicates the footprint of the previous municipal parking structure – maximizing its footprint within the project boundaries and essentially creating zero-lot-line conditions at the east, north and west edges.  

The redevelopment of the Water Street streetscape, street design, and traffic flow between Court Street and North Henry Street will include the reconfiguration and expansion of the sidewalk adjacent to the project to enhance future pedestrian experience. Street level landscaping (i.e., trees and planters), hardscape (i.e., concrete and pavers), and streetscape amenities (i.e., street lighting and benches) will establish the character which will provide a pleasant pedestrian experience.  

Two vehicular entries will be provided to the new parking garage – one on Water Street and one on North Henry Street.  Accessible / ADA parking, short-term parking and bicycle parking spaces will be located on the first level of parking accessible from the Water Street entrance. The North Henry Street entry will accommodate parking access equipment, the ability for multi-vehicle queuing (minimizing negative impacts to city traffic or vehicular flow) and access to the upper parking levels. 

The northeast corner of the site will accommodate the entry lobby for the apartments above. Storefront along the exterior will allow for views in and out of the lobby – adding transparency, interest, and variety to the pedestrian experience. The balance of the first floor will house various support spaces for the garage and residential functions (i.e., electrical and fire protection, trash, generators, maintenance, etc.). 

Building Elevations and Massing 
The proposed five-story residential program is located above the new five-story parking garage. The residential massing will be clad in a variety of materials, textures, and colors to breakdown the linear scale of the facades and to provide visual interest when viewed from below or afar. Proposed Juliette-balconies will add to the interest and a sense of depth of the facades. 

The corners of the residential massing and a top-floor residential “clubhouse” are transparent elements which will offer residents open views of the surrounding downtown area, the Chenango River, and the City’s West Side neighborhood. 

In contrast to the textured and varied treatment of the residential levels, the parking garage will be built with simple precast structural concrete panels. The simplicity of the parking facades will serve as a “background” or minimalist base to the residential massing above. Concrete color or tint, the addition of joint lines and reveals, as well as finish treatments (i.e., smooth, honed, sandblasted, or exposed aggregate) are design details and considerations that will be determined as the design process progresses.