The ongoing debate as to the future of the former shoe manufacturing plant in West Endicott continues. The Town of Union held a public hearing to discuss the property Wednesday night. The Town Board wants input from the community before it considers a vote on a resolution to declare the property, located at North Page Avenue and Maple Street, unsafe and dangerous. The vacant building was once the factory where Endicott-Johnson made Alpine work boots. It’s received an ongoing list of citations since 2007, when it was first cited for exceeding allowable time for snow removal. The most recent citation was for grass almost three feet high this past summer. The abandoned building has had to be inspected by town-paid engineers and others to determine its structural integrity. Local residents have voiced concern over the tax money spent on the building, as well as the blight impacts on nearby home values. Also of concern to residents is the amount of homeless people taking shelter in the building. The property, which is owned by Alpine Endicott Realty LLC in Paulsboro, New Jersey, has been vacant since the early 90’s. A fire in August of 2011 damaged the rear end of the building. Over the years, proposals by private developers to create apartments in the building were unsuccessful.
