comprehensive plan

Blueprint Binghamton: Economic Development

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The third in a Bridge series on the Blueprint Binghamton draft of the comprehensive plan. The first mini-plan in the draft Comprehensive Plan is about economic development, which is what more community members said was the most important issue—jobs, jobs, jobs! One of the things that the consultants to the Blueprint were able to do is look at what opportunities exist for Binghamton.

One is location–we are the intersection of three major interstates and three freight railways. Along that intersection, there is an area called “Brownfield Opportunity Area” or “BOA.” Brownfields are industrial lands that have been polluted and are eligible for development. This land along the Brandywine Highway could be the source for job growth. Creating an “Industrial Protection Zone” would gradually encourage the area as industrial with no patches of commercial or residential in between.

Another recommendation that will resonate on First Fridays is: Utilize the arts and heritage tourism to help spur economic development. Yes, let’s make Binghamton a destination for arts and culture more than on the first Friday of the month. Another point is to leverage local institutions like universities and hospitals for local jobs that service these institutions or pop up as a result of their activities.

You can read the Economic Development mini-plan here and be sure to take the survey after each mini-plan. Also visit the Blueprint Binghamton Facebook page.

Blueprint Binghamton: Our Vision

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This is the second in a series of articles on Blueprint Binghamton, the comprehensive plan for the next 10 years. The report which is divided into many chapters, gives a snapshot of who lives here and what challenges we face. First of all, we have lost 41% of our population from 1950 to 2010– 80,674 to 47,376. The good news is that we seem to have stabilized our numbers.
There are more non-family households 52.8%, and only 26.9% of those are traditional with a husband and wife, and our family size is 2.18 persons. The population is 77.6% white, and 11.4% African-American, 4.2% Asian, and 4.4% two or more races. Our median age is 35.8 years, with 15.5% seniors, and 20.1% under 18.

And here’s a shocker: the median household income is $30,179; the poverty level is 31.2%, even as the unemployment rate is 7.1%. The median income in Broome Co is $45,856 and in NYS is $57,683. 83.6% are high school graduates and 23.5% have a Bachelor’s degree.

Of the nearly 24,000 housing units 11% are vacant, and 57% are rentals.

Given some of these challenges, citizen feedback has been remarkably hopeful. What people collectively have said they want for the future in Binghamton is a city that is thriving, healthy, alive, resilient and sustainable, and proud.

To read this section or any of the 7 mini plan chapters download it from the Blueprint Binghamton site. There is a survey attached to each mini-plan for citizen feedback and there are a series of public meetings to comment. see below.

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