Ribbon cutting ceremony at Sunrise Business Center. From left, Adam Schwartz of Angelo, Gordon & Co., Islip Planning Director Gene Murphy, Islip Councilman Steve Flotteron, Islip Councilman Christopher Bodkin, Metropolitan Realty Associates President Joseph A. Farkas, Ronen Katz of Angelo, Gordon, and Islip Economic Development Director William Mannix. Islip Town officials joined Joseph A. Farkas, president of Garden City-based Metropolitan Realty Associates LLC in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the completion of a new 161,000-square-foot class-A office building at the Sunrise Business Center in Great River.

The June 18 ribbon-cutting ceremony, along with an open house that attracted almost 70 brokers, marks almost exactly a year to the day since ground was broken for the building,

"This is a very special day for my company and my partners at Angelo Gordon & Co. We are at 92 percent occupancy in two of our buildings and we're ready to roll out the new 300 building." Farkas said at the ceremony marking the completion of the 300 Building at the 388,500-square-foot, three-building complex at 3500 Sunrise Hwy. The new building offers 161,000 square feet of class-A office space.

The new office building was constructed at the site of a vacant electronics warehouse at the sprawling complex. Once enclosed by corrugated metal, the former warehouse has been re-skinned with a glass curtain wall and metal and glass panels, giving it a contemporary appearance. A second floor was added and, now, sunlight pours into the lobby's two-story, wood-paneled atrium entrance.

The existing buildings, 50 percent vacant at the time Metropolitan and its partners acquired the complex three years ago, now are 92 percent leased. And, Farkas says, he is holding discussions with major tenants for the new space.