BAINBRIDGE – Since 2006, the former Elmer’s Glue plant in Bainbridge has sat vacant. With its conspicuously posted “For Sale” signs, overgrown weeds and rusting chain link fence, the empty factory was a visible reminder of the erosion of the area’s once thriving manufacturing base.
Now, however, those “For Sale” signs are gone, and a new owner has plans to breathe life back into the former adhesive manufacturing plant.
That new owner is Bob Allen of R.O. Allen & Son Portable Storage of Chenango Bridge, which specializes in rehabilitating portable storage containers and trailers. From its present location in Broome County, the family-owned business serves all of New York State and northern Pennsylvania.
Allen said he had been “looking for years” for a second location, one with more yard space and higher ceilings. He’d even contemplated building a structure to better suit their needs. But when he learned the old Borden plant was to be auctioned off, he knew it was too good of a deal to pass up.
Allen purchased the 54,000 square foot facility and the 19 acres on which it sits for $150,000 at the auction, held on Aug. 4. Its assessed value, according to the auction flyer, was $490,359.
At less than $3 a square foot, the facility – which boasts six loading docks, mezzanine office space and rail siding – was definitely “a bargain,” Allen said.
The Chenango Bridge business man doesn’t plan to relocate his entire operation to Bainbridge, but rather establish a satellite shop operated by two existing employees.
“We’ll use very little of the building,” he reported, explaining his intention of using, at most, one fifth of the interior space.
Allen said he hopes to lease the remainder to other business ventures. One of those businesses is Auburn BioDiesel.
According to Allen, the Skaneateles-based company is interested in leasing approximately 10,000 square feet of the facility to process soybeans – the oil from which would be used to produce biodiesel. The meal produced as a by-product of the process would in turn be sold to area dairy farms as livestock feed, he added.
Auburn BioDiesel President David Colegrove cited the existing bio-diesel processing facility (which was operated by the Creative Energy Group) as well as the proximity of feed dealers in Oneonta and Conklin as reason for their interest in locating their operation in Bainbridge.
“Our first impressions of Bainbridge are entirely positive – friendly, welcoming, smart business people and the type of neighbors we would most like to have,” said Colegrove, stating his interest in working with Allen to utilize the former adhesive plant to their “mutual advantage.”
According to Colegrove, if the plans are realized, the venture could create as many as 40 jobs over the next six years.
Allen has also had conversations with Chenango County Natural Gas Consultant Steve Palmatier about the possibility of luring natural gas related industries to the site. Lease negotiations with one such company fell through because of the firm’s interest in storing explosives at the site, which was not possible because of the property’s proximity to the railway track.
It is this proximity, however, which Palmatier said will make the facility attractive to other companies.
“There are absolutely other prospects,” he reported, explaining that he already has three interested in beginning discussions as soon as Allen closes on the building. Closing is currently set for Oct. 4.
In the meantime, Allen has already met with the town planning board and has begun efforts to clean up the 19-acre site.