HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Work continues by the chamber and a local realtor to find a buyer for the old Eaton Building.
The building was put on the auction block in April when no one took interest in the 300,000 square foot building which was being offered for $3,389,000.
A group of investors from New Jersey were the winning bidders for the building for $765,500. The deal fell through. The investors backed out on their purchase. Since then, the building has been put back on the market.
Chamber President Debra Teufel says there is some interest in the building. Teufel says the building does need some work. The building needs to be brought up to current fire codes which could include a new fire suppression system. The building may need a new roof. Some inspections are being done on the building at this time to see what it would take to make it more attractive to potential buyers.
Eaton shut down the plant in October of 2017. The company originally announced they would close the plant in 2006 but a large infusion of cash incentives kept the building open.
Still, the plant cut its local workforce from 435 to just 300 at the time. Over the next ten years, the workforce was further reduced to just 100 employees immediately prior to the company closing the facility for good.