iOptimize Realty Represented Festo in Islandia Office Space Lease

This article was originally published from LIBN.com.

Festo USA, a robotics and pneumatics maker that recently moved its manufacturing operations to Ohio, leased 52,742 square feet of office space in Islandia.

The U.S. division of Germany-based Festo, which has been on Long Island since 1972, will be bringing 125 employees to the new space at 1377 Motor Parkway this summer, according to Kristine Inserra, head of marketing communications for the company. “We’re committed to keeping our corporate office here on Long Island,” Inserra told LIBN. Festo will be leaving its 106,692-square-foot flex building on 8.4 acres at 395 Moreland Road in Hauppauge and has put it on the market. The property is currently being marketed by the Newmark Grubb Knight Frank team of Scott Berfas, Chuck Tabone, Brian Lee and Jack O’Connor.

Festo officials said the company built its new complex in Mason, Ohio for its large-scale facility incorporating its production, assembly and distribution operations due to its centralized location. More than two-thirds of Festo’s customers are located within 600 miles of Cincinnati.

In preparation for downsizing its Long Island operations, Festo sold its 48,200-square-foot building at 430 Wireless Blvd. in Hauppauge for about $6.75 million in 2015.

Don Catalano, owner/broker of iOptimize Realty^® in Commack, represented Festo, while John Finn was the in-house representative for landlord Damianos Realty Group in the Islandia lease transaction. “We worked with Festo for two years to find the perfect Long Island headquarters,” Catalano said. “1377 Motor had the right combination of location and amenities to meet the company’s long-term objectives.” Smithtown-based Damianos acquired the 170,000-square-foot office building at 1377 Motor Parkway in 2015 for about $11.5 million.

The four-story Class-A office building was designed by the Spector Group and originally built in 1989. It features a fitness center, full service café, conference facilities and covered parking. Damianos has been working on improvements to the building that include a new lobby and new roof, as well as upgrades to mechanical equipment, bathrooms, hallways, elevators, landscaping and the parking lot on the 8-acre site.