IBM leaving Dubuque, moving jobs to Columbia, Missouri

DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) - IBM confirmed it is consolidating its Dubuque operations and moving most of the jobs to its office in Columbia, Missouri effective in November.

A company spokesman says employees were notified Wednesday morning that they would be leaving the Roshek building. The spokesperson says most workers will have the opportunity to take positions in the Missouri facility. Some employees will remain in the Dubuque area but will work remotely from home or client offices.

The spokesperson declined to say how many employees work at IBM in Dubuque but the Dubuque Chamber of Commerce lists employment there at 344.

The move ends a short tenure for IBM in Dubuque that started in 2009 when it announced plans to move into the Roshek building and bring in 1,300 employees. More than $20 million dollars in tax credits went into the project to renovate the building to attract IBM. But employment at the company has waned in recent years to the current levels of less than 400.

Dubuque Initiatives, which owned the building and helped facilitate the IBM deal, announced it was selling the Roshek building this past November with the city agreeing to build a $2.8 million parking structure as part of that sale.

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