The City Council moved out after deciding to retrofit the building in the wake of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, but eventually decided the work was too expensive and put the building up for sale in 1996. The 11-story City Center building, located on Foothill Blvd., was sold to Eikon for $4 million earlier this year.

Eikon, which owns buildings in Oakland and San Francisco as well as Texas, plans to retrofit and renovate the building, then rent it out as office space. Eikon estimates that work will be completed in a year.

The space is being marketed by Grubb and Ellis in San Jose. The listing broker said one potential tenant is already interested, but would not indicate the tenant's identity. Rent will be $3 to $3.50 per sf -- low compared to much of Silicon Valley and the Bay Area.