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Prepper Fixer-Upper? Atlas Missile Silo in New York Is Listed for $600K

A decommissioned missile silo in Ellenburg Center, NY, has blasted onto the market for $600,000. This property also features an above-ground Quonset hut, which was used for storage by the military and has since been turned into a residence.

Built to house the Atlas F missile in the 1960s, it’s one of 12 silos tied to the nearby Plattsburgh Air Force Base, which shut down in 1994.

The locale of this property near the Canadian border is somewhat remote—with good reason.

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“They put them in that area to be away from everybody and everything,” says listing agent Brian Dominic, with Select Sotheby’s International Realty. “They were used for a short length of time, and then new technology came out and they were decommissioned.”

Once they were no longer in need, the 12 silos in New York were initially offered to local governments. Two took up the offer and now use the land to store vehicles, Dominic notes.

While rarely available, these underground spots surface on the market every once in a while, says Dominic. There’s another listing similar to this one that’s not currently on the multiple listing service, he adds.

For the other silo sites, the missiles have long since been removed and the properties have been turned over to private owners.

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Watch: Arizona Property Is Actually a Former Missile Silo

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These underground shelters took millions of dollars to build six decades ago, but this one up for sale now sits squarely in the category of fixer-upper. It’ll take an enterprising buyer to turn this bunker into a prepper paradise.

This silo last changed hands in 1998 for $20,000. At the time, the property also had two Quonset huts. One of those huts, used as a wood shop, has since burned down. The other one was enclosed and turned into a residence with a garage. The upside of the hut is that a buyer can live above ground while fixing stuff below ground.

The local businessman who lives here is retiring and moving south. He’s ready to hand off the silo to someone new. 

The 8.7 acres are surrounded by a 7-foot, chain-link fence. At the northern tip of the Adirondacks, the location is about a 12-hour drive to major cities. The property comes with a helipad.

The silo features two blast-proof doors and steel structures that are designed to withstand a blast of 200 pounds per square inch, according to the New York State Military Museum.

The space currently has temporary electricity set up in order to safely walk around.

The 3,612-square-foot silo is both dry and insulated by the earth, so heating and cooling needs are minimal. To live in it, though, a homeowner would likely want it to be warmer than its current consistent temperature of 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit. It will also require a water supply and plumbing.

The upper level housed the crew and contained bunk beds, a bathroom, dining area, and break room.

The lower level contained the launch controls where they could “hit the red button,” Dominic says. Located behind two huge blast doors, each weighing 75 tons, the control center sat just 50 feet from the missile.

The main silo is a “steel superstructure, 18 stories tall and suspended by springs,” Dominic says.

The coronavirus pandemic has inspired buyers who have security and privacy in mind.

“With the pandemic and with the political unrest, people calling me are more interested than ever to pull the trigger on something like this,” Dominic says.

He notes that even four years ago, a buyer thinking of going off the grid would raise eyebrows.

“I would say now, you’re seeming more prepared,” he says.