📸 More license plate readers: A grant will expand automatic license plate readers in Dayton amid privacy concerns.
💵 One couple’s story: A couple told us their story about losing their retirement savings in an alleged securities and Ponzi scheme led by a Butler Twp. couple.
Also today, we take an in-depth look at local expansion plans from Joby Aviation.
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Joby Aviation buys giant Vandalia building for $61.5M as local growth speeds up
In a sign of accelerated growth, Joby Aviation said it has agreed to buy a giant Vandalia building to use as a production site as it ramps up plans to make electric aircraft.
• Production expansion: Joby Aviation has agreed to purchase a 728,000-square-foot facility in Vandalia to significantly increase its manufacturing capacity.
• Facility details: Located at 1669 Capstone Way, the building is roughly the size of four Walmart stores and offers ample space for future growth beyond current targets.
• Manufacturing goals: The acquisition supports the company’s objective to double production to four electric aircraft per month by the year 2027.
• Regional impact: Leaders describe the move as a major step in the “reindustrialization of Ohio,” solidifying the Dayton area’s status as a hub for advanced air mobility.
• Pairing operations: Joby intends to maintain its existing Concorde Drive plant in Dayton while pairing its Ohio operations with its production site in California.
Joby’s Vandalia purchase is Montgomery County’s biggest in past 12 months
The planned building purchase is the priciest property transaction in Montgomery County in the past 12 months.
• Significant investment: The company plans to purchase the facility in Vandalia for approximately $61.5 million. This transaction represents the most expensive property deal in Montgomery County over the last year.
• Major transactions: The purchase price significantly exceeds other notable local deals, such as a $39 million property sale on North Springboro Pike earlier in the year. It also outpaces the $37 million acquisition of Dayton Mall parcels.
• Infrastructure upgrades: Experts suggest the company will likely need to invest further to convert the “distribution box” into a specialized manufacturing plant. These interior improvements will be essential to accommodate complex aviation assembly.