VANDALIA, Nov 06, 2009 (Dayton Daily News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX News Network) --

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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