City of Binghamton Issues Lockdown Warnings to Four Properties

At a press conference on Wednesday, City of Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham announced that the City had issued lockdown warning letters to four properties in Binghamton.

Get our free mobile app

Under the City's new lockdown law, the letters inform the building owners that their properties have been deemed a public nuisance, and gives them 30 days to submit a corrective action plan before the City files a complaint with the City Court to temporarily close the premises. Anyone using the property following the temporary closing of the premises would be subject to arrest.

The law dictates that officials can assign points to properties for different types of nuisance activity, and if a building receives 12 or more in six months or 18 or more in 12 months, the City will send a warning letter to the property owner.

Lockdown warning letters were sent to 53 Chenango Street, 5 Grace Street, 314 Prospect Street and 92 Robinson Street. The properties that received lockdown warning letters have point totals ranging from 22 to 34 points. 314 Prospect Street was the site of an attempted murder shooting on Monday, and was already on the City's radar before the shooting occured.

"We hope on all properties that the property owners or the operators, it's a wake up call for them," said Mayor Kraham. "They work with City officials to either shut down the activity that's causing the criminal nuisance or if they do not, we will seek a court order. We will lock the building down."

The site of the press conference, 92 Robinson Street, has operated as an illegal after hours nightclub according to Mayor Kraham, receiving warnings for fighting, disorderly conduct, ABC law violation, and assault.

"We won't tolerate problem properties that wreak havoc on resident's quality of life, hurt our neighborhoods and attract violent criminal behavior," said Mayor Kraham. "Under the City's updated lockdown law, these warning letters are a critical first step in abating the nuisance activity at these properties or shutting them down."

Mayor Kraham also indicated that there were several other properties being investigated by the City.