But the facility has been a popular target of thieves, who have removed valuable metals and parts from the structure, causing significant damage in the process. The most recent theft occurred Friday when large amounts of wire and copper pieces were taken.
A security guard called Dayton police after noticing that several of the McCall building’s doors were unlocked and open and there were signs of theft, a police report states.
The city of Dayton pays 1st Choice Security to patrol the 350,000-square-foot McCall building. The city approved an $11,000 contract with the firm in November, which runs through the end of this year.
The city pays the security company $15 for every trip to the facility, and the city authorized up to six visits a day.
Police said it appeared someone used professional tools to cut through the walls to remove wiring and pipes. Panels and copper fuses were missing, and the loss was estimated at more than $500,000, the report states.
Copper thieves often so badly damage the structures they strip that the facilities cannot be rehabilitated.
“The city is very interested in trying to redevelop and bring new jobs to west Dayton,” said Keith Kline, a senior development specialist with the city. “So anytime somebody vandalizes a public facility, that obviously makes our job a little more difficult.”
The McCall building was the home of JR Metals and Clark System Framing Systems. But it has been vacant for years.
Process Equipment Co. in Troy announced plans in 2013 to buy the building to consolidate its operations.
But the company backed off after concluding the roof could cost more than $1 million to repair or replace.
The condition of the building has declined over the years as thieves continue to strip it for metal.
In March 2010, city officials noticed electrical panels, power cables and copper wiring were missing during a walk-through of the property, a police report states.
Three months later, someone ripped off the side docking door and left with it.
Later that year, Dayton police arrested several people after catching them trying to remove metal and other items.
One thief was found hanging from the side of the building, and another was injured after jumping off the roof during a foot chase.
In February 2007, a security guard shot a man in the foot after he broke into the facility. The guard said the suspect tried to strike him with a crowbar. A year earlier, a guard with another security firm shot at two intruders after they fired at him.
James Wood, 61, lives on the 600 block of Randolph St., near the entrance of the McCall facility.
He used to work at the factory, unloading trucks and storing metal parts.
Wood said security guards used to patrol the property frequently, but he hasn’t seen security guards on the grounds in recent months.
Wood said the massive building still contains lots of metal and parts that can be sold for a nice profit.
“They go in there to get copper, and that’s $3 and more per pound,” he said.
Abandoned industrial sites tend to be a magnet for metal thieves, and it can be difficult or costly to monitor them around the clock.
Last May, police arrested three men who they broke into the Dayton Arcade building and removed materials. Police also monitored the vacant Dayton Daily News building for illegal activities.
But the McCall building is part of the city’s Westview Industrial Park project, and the city is committed to attracting a tenant and will make sure the building is secure, said Klein.
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