Editor’s note: This story was updated on Feb. 11 to include a comment from property owner Ramy Eidi.

Medical Mutual of Ohio will soon move out of its Toledo office and into a new home in Rossford.

Rossford Mayor Neil MacKinnon confirmed the move to The Blade Friday and said 150 or more jobs will be moving into two buildings in the Crossroads. He plans to meet with the company in the near future to "assist however the city can."

"They had been following for the past year the goings on at the Crossroads, especially Project Freddie and the Harmon Business Park," Mayor MacKinnon said. "This site is basically between downtown Toledo and everything south and west. It's a central location and they thought it would be great for their employees."

Project Freddie is the code name for a development believed to be an Amazon fulfillment center planned for the same area.

Mayor MacKinnon said Medical Mutual will occupy two existing structures: what is currently the Pier 1 Imports store and a space next to Home Depot. The mayor said he knew a company had been eyeing the properties, but did not know which one until last week.

The change comes as Pier 1 could not reach an agreement on a new lease. Ramy Eidi, who owns the Pier 1 property, said Pier 1 would not commit to signing a long-term lease when the current agreement expires.

"Med Mutual is an outstanding company and they're bringing a ton of jobs to the area," Mr. Eidi said. "They are willing to commit long term. We had to look at the greater benefit for the area for the long term."

He said Toledo will still benefit through an income tax sharing agreement.

"We're on the radar screen for economic development locally, but also nationally," Mayor MacKinnon said. "We're blessed and fortunate. People are starting to notice us and starting to inquire about multiple parcels in and around Rossford."

Medical Mutual's current northwest Ohio headquarters are located on West Sylvania Avenue. A spokesman said the lease expires in 2020 and the move will begin in January, 2020.

“After a comprehensive search, we selected Rossford because it met our business and personnel requirements and the City of Rossford has been a longtime customer,” the spokesman said.

Medical Mutual serves more than 1.6 million customers and is headquartered in Cleveland.

First Published February 8, 2019, 11:09 p.m.