State awarding up to $18 million for next two phases of Oakdale Commons project in Johnson City

JOHNSON CITY, N.Y. — New York State is providing up to $18 million for the next two phases of the project to renovate the former Oakdale Mall into a mixed-use development in Johnson City. Now known as Oakdale Commons, the project’s second and third phases will include the construction of an 85,000-square-foot, regional medical campus, the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul announced. The phases also include the construction of a new 22,000-square-foot child-care center, administered by Broome County and operated by a contracted provider. The center will serve up to 208 children — including infant, toddler, preschool, Pre-K and school-age slots — and the creation of up to 45 new jobs, Hochul’s office said. The project will also involve the construction of 125 residential units, located on the adjacent parcel, that will cater to the projected job growth in the Greater Binghamton Area. Empire State Development is providing up to $18 million through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative. The total project cost is $200 million. Now underway, construction is expected to be completed in early 2026. The first phase involved the redevelopment of the former Sears store into the Lourdes Pavilion, which included a health, wellness and fitness center, physical therapy, primary care, a drive-through pharmacy, and lab services. Other projects involved an aquatic swim center featuring three pools and group studios, among other things. Also included was the addition of the two-story Beer Tree restaurant and brewery, and Broome County is utilizing on-site office space, with more than 200 employees working at the location. All told, the redeveloped building now has over new 500 employees and “attracts thousands of daily visitors.” Still home to several successful retail outlets, the former Oakdale Mall, which opened in 1975, has close to 964,000 square feet of usable space. Johnson City, which was also a round six winner in the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and was among the first communities to be certified under the governor’s Pro-Housing Communities program, Hochul’s office noted.