LAKEWOOD RANCH -- Prominent real estate developing company Neal Communities has announced it will relocate its headquarters to a 25,000-square-foot building in Lakewood Ranch in January.

The Manatee County-based builder will move from its 8,000-square-foot headquarters in the 8000 block of Lakewood Ranch Boulevard into the DooleyMack Constructors headquarters building at 5800 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Sarasota County.

Neal Communities, founded by former state senator Pat Neal, recently purchased the building for about $2.5 million.

"We want to stay in Lakewood Ranch, which is the center of our universe, and because of our team members, we didn't want to move very far," Neal said.

Neal said the move is needed to accommodate his growing staff, with 18 new employees in the last 18 months. Neal also expects to add 20 positions by the end of the year. Neal Communities has a staff of 95 employees, which does not include sales representatives.

"We've outgrown our office and our parking lot," Neal said.

On Friday, Neal will unveil a 1,999 home community in Venice, the largest master-planned community created by the company. Neal also plans to move into Lee and Collier counties.

Subsidiaries John Neal Homes, a home building business owned by Neal's son John, Pure Style, an interior design company operated by Pat Neal's wife, Charlene, and Waterscapes,

a pool and spa design team, will operate from the Neal Communities' 6,000-square-foot facility on Main Street in Lakewood Ranch. The mortgage, title and accounting staff will relocate to the DooleyMack building.

Neal said DooleyMack will continue to operate from its office space in the building.

DooleyMack lost the building to foreclosure when SunTrust Bank won a $4.2 million foreclosure judgment on the building in July.

Nick Williams, East Manatee reporter, can be reached at 941-748-7049. Twitter:@_1NickWilliams.