Online Staff Report

First Rockford Group, Inc., announced the acquisition of the former Danaher Motion building at 4301 Kishwaukee St. in Rockford to promote business start-ups related to the aerospace industry.

The 120,000-square-foot building, including 15,000 square feet of office space, is on 11 acres of land directly south of U.S. Grant Highway (U.S. 20). It will be used primarily for housing new and growing manufacturing, assembly, warehousing and aerospace companies. The sub-dividable site is in the Global Industrial Park, about 1 mile from the Chicago Rockford International Airport.

The move comes a little more than a week after Rockford City Council voted Dec. 19 to create a tax increment financing district (TIF) near Chicago Rockford International Airport for the development of the Global Tradepark South project. The TIF district will offer tax breaks aimed at attracting businesses to the industrial park.

Sunil Puri, First Rockford Group’s founder and president, said: “The proximity to Rockford’s world-class airport and versatility of this site make it an ideal location for aerospace business start-ups or manufacturing companies of any kind. This acquisition continues First Rockford Group’s commitment to making Rockford a better place to live and work. First Rockford Group would like to work with the City of Rockford, Winnebago County and the Rockford Area Economic Development Council to make this ongoing project a success by attracting businesses of all sizes to this location.”

Sunil Puri’s nephew, Bharat Puri, serves as chairman of the Greater Rockford Airport Authority (GRAA) Board and is also director of finance and commercial development for First Rockford Group. Bharat Puri assumed the role of GRAA Board chairman following the abrupt resignations of former Board Chairman Brian Boyer and former Executive Director Bob O’Brien March 31, 2011. Boyer and O’Brien resigned after a heated Airport Authority Board meeting March 29.

Amy Ott serves as the interim executive director at the airport and is responsible for the overall administration, operation, maintenance and development of the airport and its 40 employees.

The former Danaher Motion building is a free-standing, light-industrial building that is fully air-conditioned, contains a mixture of office, warehouse and manufacturing space with truck docks, three drive-in doors and land available for expansion.