Defense contractor takes 21,000 s/f LI space.

Wachtler Knopf Equities LLC announced that Aeroflex Inc., one of Long Island's largest publicly held companies, has leased 21,300 s/f at 45 S.Service Rd., in Plainview, NY., for offices and laboratories.

The Plainview, NY-based aerospace and defense contractor has its headquarters and some manufacturing operations next door in 69,000 s/f at 35 S.Service Rd., which it owns. The company also has operations in Hauppauge, NY, elsewhere in the United States and overseas.

A one-story, 100,000 s/f building, 45. S.Service Rd. features a new roof, security booth, 18-foot ceilings and raised floors. An additional 34,000 square feet remain available for lease. Asking rent for the space is $23.75 psf. Electricity is on a direct meter.

Erik Schmall, of New York City-based Studley, represented Aeroflex in lease negotiations. The landlord, an affiliate of Sterling Equities, was represented by Philip Wachtler, a principal of Wachtler Knopf, the leasing and managing agent for the property.

"We are thrilled to have a company of the caliber of Aeroflex joining our tenant roster," said Wachtler.

"Aeroflex was a sub-tenant in this building at the time we acquired it one year ago. Since then, we have been able to gain their faith in our ability to manage the building and we have been rewarded with their long-term commitment."

Other world-class tenants in the WKE portfolio include, among others, Oce Printing Systems USA Inc, Pitney Bowles, Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers, Oppenheimer & Co. and 7-Eleven Corp.

Aeroflex is a global provider of high technology solutions to the aerospace, defense and broadband communications markets . Its stock trades on the Nasdaq National Market System under the symbol ARXX and is included in the S&P SmallCap 600 index.