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By Tim Tresslar, Staff Writer Updated 9:50 PM Thursday, November 5, 2009

VANDALIA — The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Local 75 and a California company have agreed to buy the former Iams-Eukanuba headquarters for $1.95 million and the union plans to bring 100 jobs here by the end of 2010.

The UFCW and an investor were the winning bidders in an online auction Oct. 15-22, according to Jones Lang LaSalle and Real Estate Disposition LLC, the companies that ran the auction. Results of the auction were announced Thursday, Nov. 5.

Paige Steers, a spokeswoman for Jones Lang LaSalle, said the parties still must close a deal. She said she is unsure when that will happen.

Steers declined to identify the bidder. But Rich Hopkins, a spokesman for the city of Vandalia, said Industrial Realty Group (IRG) LLC, a Downey, Ca.-based company, is the other bidder.

IRG bought the former Delphi office building at 1515 Cincinnati St. earlier this year. IRG executives could not be reached for comment.

Brigid Kelly, a UFCW spokeswoman, said the union will purchase one of the two buildings. It will move its offices from Monroe to Vandalia by the fourth quarter of 2010, she said.

UFCW Local 1099 — which covers Cincinnati, Dayton and portions of Indiana and Kentucky — and Local 911 out of Toledo merged in April and they wanted a more central location to be closer to members in their various geographic locations, Kelly said.

The union also will maintain smaller offices in Cincinnati and Toledo.

Plans call for UFCW to buy and occupy one of the four-story buildings on the former Iams campus, Kelly said.

In October, pet food manufacturer Iams-Eukanuba moved its operations from Vandalia to Mason, vacating the office complex on Poe Avenue and taking with it 240 jobs.

Vandalia City Manager Jeff Hoagland welcomed the news that a buyer had been found for the building.

“A building that could have potentially sat empty for an extended period of time has been sold and will be turned over quickly, and 100 jobs are reportedly coming to the city,” Hoagland said .

Hopkins said officials estimate that UFCW could bring with it approximately $100,000 in income taxes.

Bidding for the building, which has an appraised tax value of $8.6 million, started at $900,000.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7317 or ttresslar@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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I am sure all the people that responded favorably for unions either belong to one or have relatives that do. Unions are as much a relic in the workforce as the janitor making 35.00 an hour. Companies are going to lean manufacturing as it has been started by Toyota. You will never see another mega production company start up again. Companies are laying off the dead wood and keeping the productive people. That'why we are paying $40,000 for a $10,000 car.

Big D
3:37 PM, 11/6/2009

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Unions may have been necessary at one time but that time has passed. If it were not for unions things would cost half of what they do. This country needs unions like Dayton needs McLin. Ford, GM, Chrysler and many more companies in this country have been robbed for years by unions.

Break the unions
3:21 PM, 11/6/2009

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Jim...on what part of Fantasy Island do you live?

Jack
3:01 PM, 11/6/2009

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That "best economy our Country enjoyed was also the time of highest Union membership" comment may be true but why? could it be (1)that we were mortgaging our future? (2)we had bombed the crap out of the rest of the productive world in WWII and there was no more competititio? (3)unions make things better? The facts say the answer is not the one you would like us to believe (3). How many people bought houses they couldn't afford the would up in foreclosure? Same analogy - think about it!!

yo' bumrush the frauds
2:26 PM, 11/6/2009

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Mr. Business: A smart business man would encourage Unions to form in their companies. Under proper agreements they are an asset just like any other in the company. Good employees don't wish to work with crack heads and drunks but officers fear looking "company" if they don't come to their defense. Burdens as pensions and insurance, and even discipline can be handled by the Union in a proper contract. Unions cannot be stronger than it's members want it to be. Strikes are not useful to either side

Bill
1:45 PM, 11/6/2009

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