ENDICOTT, NY – (WIVT/WBGH) IBM’s physical presence in its birthplace of Endicott is in its final days.

IBM announced back in April that it wouldn’t be renewing its lease at Building 256 on the Huron/Phoenix campus when it runs out at the end of October.

Employees were recently notified by IBM that they had until the end of this week to clear out their offices.

A corporate spokesperson told NewsChannel 34 that of the few hundred workers still in our area, most had chosen to continue to work remotely following the pandemic, making the physical office space unnecessary.

IBM says the decision begins a new chapter in its long and fruitful relationship with its birthplace.

It insists that it will remain engaged with Binghamton University’s Watson College of Engineering and the Endicott History and Heritage Center.

The closing of IBM’s physical presence in our community has been coming for decades, beginning with a drastic reduction of the workforce and the closing of the Glendale research and development complex in 1993.

At that time, IBM employed over 6 thousand workers in Endicott.

In 2002, IBM sold off some of its remaining circuit board business and its campus in downtown Endicott to local investors in a deal brokered by the late State Senator Tom Libous.

The Huron Campus, as it subsequently was rebranded, was sold to Phoenix Investors in 2021.

Charlie Bryant was loading some personal effects and office decorations into his vehicle today to donate to the Salvation Army.

Bryant has worked for IBM for 34 years, getting hired at IBM Glendale after graduating from college with a software engineering degree.

“IBM has been a great company, great to the area, great to me and a lot of people here. I appreciate everything that they’ve done. We will continue to work from home after this.”

No layoffs were announced as part of the closure of the office.

About 50 or so remaining IBM workers gathered for a picnic recently to reminisce. Bryant says there was a mixture of sadness and nostalgia.