A local company that manufactures allergy-testing products has agreed to purchase the former Coca-Cola bottling plant on Preston Avenue, officials confirmed Thursday.
Indoor Biotechnologies, specializing in immunodiagnostics and biotechnology for use in investigating allergies and asthma, is planning on expanding into the Charlottesville landmark, one of the city’s most prominent 20th century buildings.
Officials declined to say how much they would pay for the building or go into detail about the move or the purchase. The company is planning a March 28 announcement to include more details.
“We’d been looking around for more space to increase the size of our facility and we were coming up short,” said Dr. Martin D. Chapman, founder of the biotech company. “The Coca-Cola building was put on the market in November and we were immediately interested.”
Indoor Biotechnologies produces a “comprehensive, proprietary portfolio of antibodies” used to detect allergies to house dust mites, cats, dogs, cockroaches, molds, pollens and foods. It also produces materials used in immunologic studies of allergies and asthma.
“We’re very happy and excited,” said Chris Engel, assistant economic development director for Charlottesville. “It’s good news for the city and for Indoor Biotechnologies. It’s great to have a company that is in the city looking for property within the city to expand, and being able to do so. It’s a great company and we’re glad to have them stay in the city.”
The building, built in 1939, was home to Mid-Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Co. until it closed last summer, eliminating about 40 local jobs. The local operations were moved to an existing facility near Sandston, not far from Richmond.
Part of the company’s decision to close the Charlottesville sales center was based on its size and the company’s inability to expand. The building had expanded once in the 1950s and again in the 1980s, according to city records.
The 32,000-square-foot building is considered historic by the city, although it is not on the national historic registry.
According to city documents, the art deco industrial design building, the largest remaining deco-style building in the city, was designated a protected historical property in 2008. Any changes to the building would have to be approved by the city’s Board of Architectural Review, officials said.
Chapman said the company made an offer and have been negotiating the sale since. He said the company could use the former bottling plant to bottle its products, as well as headquarter office space.
“There are plans that we are expecting to put into place that we’ll be able to discuss in detail later,” Chapman said.
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