County residents take home piece of IBM history with country club bricks
Some were sentimental about the old club’s demolition, but others remained hopeful about the future of the site
JOHNSON CITY (WBNG) -- The Agency and LeChase Construction have been working on the demolition of the former IBM Country Club and Crocker Homestead for a week but they wanted to give residents a chance to hold onto the memories with a memento from the foundation of the building: a brick.
Any community member that came to the “Get-a-Brick” day had the opportunity to take home bricks that were saved from construction.
Johnson City resident Lissa Monfort braved the cold and windy weather in honor of her late father, Rocky Monfort; he was a cook at the old country club. She showed up to the brick giveaway with a picture of her father, in his cooking uniform, tied around her neck.
“My dad [] was known for his kindness, his compassion, and the way he took care of his customers,” said Monfort. She noted that he worked there for 40 years.
Affordable housing will be built where the country club once stood. Endicott Mayor Linda Jackson, who collected a few bricks herself, said she was in high hopes for the future of the area. She noted that local bipartisan policies contributed to the demolition of the country club and the future plans for the site.
“We need this desperately,” she said. “We have all these jobs and we have no place for these people to say. This is going to be a big help to the economy.”
Jackson called the old IBM Country Club sentimental for many people. She noted that her son and daughter-in-law were married and had their wedding reception at the club.
“IBM was the number one thing in this area for many years,” Jackson said. “[People] want to go back to that.”
Dozens of people showed up to collect the bricks. The building was laid vacant after the 2006 Flood and was later condemned due to its deplorable conditions.
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