Binghamton University is extending its reach into Johnson City, with the announcement that its planned $60 million, 70,000 square-foot pharmacy school will be built on the site of the former Endicott-Johnson Shoe Company.
On Wednesday afternoon, New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo visited campus to announce the location of the pharmacy school.
BU President Harvey Stenger as well as N.Y. state Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo and Sen. Thomas Libous also spoke at the press conference, which was held at the Innovative Technologies Complex.
“At Binghamton University, we’ve always recognized that an education should lead to great employment,” Stenger said. “It should be linked to the opportunities of the future as well as today.
“The dream of the school of pharmacy matches that vision. Pharmacy is probably the fastest growing profession in our country today.”
According to Stenger, the school will be integrated into the University’s START-UP NY framework and will pursue solutions for global health problems while continuing to support local, regional and statewide economic growth.
“The building will add space and locations for companies that will develop pharmaceutical products, drug-delivery systems, and health care analysis methods,” Stenger said.
Lupardo said that she foresees BU becoming a leading figure in the pharmaceutical field.
“The field of pharmacy is evolving,” she said. “This is going to be able to tie in to the new developing field of biotechnology. And advances in science are going to allow us to help develop the medicines of tomorrow.”
According to Libous, the construction of the Downtown Center in Binghamton helped pave the way for Johnson City’s pharmacy school.
“A lot of businesses have built around it and we have seen Downtown Binghamton grow,” Libous said. “And so we said we want to see that same excitement in Johnson City. We have a world-class hospital there in United Health Services. We’d like to build our pharmacy school in Johnson City.”
Cuomo said that the construction of the pharmacy school will usher in an era of economic prosperity for upstate New York.
“This project brings the whole story of Binghamton upstate New York full circle,” he said. “The school of pharmacy, it’s not just about a school. It’s a school and an economic engine for the future.”
The school is slated to officially open in the fall of 2018, and, according to Libous, will have an inaugural class of 250 students.