Shaw Development to set up shop in South Lee

In one of the largest commercial real estate deals in Southwest Florida this year, Shaw Aero Realty Corporation has purchased a building in Bonita Springs for $6.3 million. The transaction, arranged by Randal L. Mercer of CB Richard Ellis, Ft. Myers - Naples, involved the purchase of a 5.98 acre site and 50,665 square-foot building from Noland Properties, Inc. The property is located 25190 Bernwood Drive, in the Bernwood Business Park off U.S. 41 North and Old 41 Road.

The facility will house Shaw Development, founded in 1959 in New York as the sister company of Shaw Aero Devices, an aeronautics manufacturing company which was acquired in November 2007 by Parker Hannafin Corporation through its subsidiary "Parker Aerospace." The development company specializes in parts for ground vehicles, including commercial, construction and military vehicles. The company works with John Deere, Caterpillar and the U.S. military. It currently is making fuel tanks for military vehicles used in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"This is very exciting news ... because it allows the company to reshape its identity, have its own facility," said Kevin Hawkesworth, president and CEO. "It will be a first-class, state of the art facility."

"The purchase is strong testimony to the investment grade real estate opportunities of the Lee County market and the value of well-positioned commercial property within this market," said Mercer. "Through ownership, Shaw has committed to a long-term occupancy of the facility which may be expanded to 72,000 square feet and will be converted to state of the art design and manufacturing center. The company has committed bringing all 75 jobs to Lee County and through additional product lines and acquisitions, expects to continue its growth at the current rate of 20 percent per year.