Is 11' distance from projector screen too close?

And oh yeah PULL THE TRIGGER! Nobody ever says "I wish I had gone with the smaller Plasma" and once you experience the large image thrill for movies, sports, games, concerts or whatever your into you will have a big ole smile on your face thankful you went Projection!
That Sony is a sweet performer, has both vertical and horizontal manual lense shift and can throw from 6 to 30ft, at 1000 lumens its not gonna be ideal for the long throw ratios listed as it will lose some punch but keeping it on the close end will allow some low level to moderate lights to be on during viewing. Yuo will love this unit.

"Between Sony Panasonic, Epson and Mitsubishi I see no reason to look at the Runco type overpriced models".

When is the last time you saw a Runco? I just viewed an LED model over the weekend. None of the manufactures you have listed come remotely close to the image the Runco throws.

I do like the Sonys though. If spending over $2300, a JVC RS10 or HD250 is the best option.

I can see one in 12 minutes by driving to "The sound shop" in Canfield Oh or in an hour by going to "Audio Visions" in Strongsville Oh..... so lets not go there.
Nor should we pretend that their models trump the image of consumer based product lines I have listed, certainly not to any close extent their premium price would suggest.
They are not as reliable, cost more to buy, mantain and service, bulbs are overpriced and offer shorter life span aswell. You can easily get a good unit for around $2000 and for a bit more you can get a fantastic unit and still not come close to the extreme cost of a boutique unit from Runco,,,,,,,,they are a company who is rightfully in trouble IMO.
Projectors are something I know about, and Runco simply is not a value for what you get period.
Take a look at the Runco LightStyle LS-5 Projector, its entry level, has 1000 Lumens, manual zoom, focus and no Keystone or shift.it and it looks like a $800 budget Sony that sold about 6 years ago....it sells for $7000...WOW!
But you can get better and go all the way up to $250,000...yup a quarter of a million bucks...........NICE!
But dont worry you often cant buy these anyway unless its wrapped into a super premium HT room construction project because thats where the real money is. Selling these overpriced models are just iceing on a stale cake.
If you have to say "look what I spent: Runco is a great choice but dont think you will be walking circles around those who buy more cost friendly products from better known options, you will be the only one who feels that way. Oh wait..you and your dealer!

I did quite a bit of research and the Panasonic AE4000 was the best projector about 6 months ago ( in the 2000 to 5000 range) - not sure if it will throw as little as 11 ft but it kicks the butt of that Sony you are looking at - right out of the ball park

I dont know about it beating the pants off the Sony but as I noted above its a awesome unit for sure, the mock anamorphic mode while somewhat a cheaters feature will be desored by some who want the 235 experience.
From the throw range calculations it looks posible but your really on the brink of pushing it at that distance and desired size. But it vents in a way that makes it ideal for close to wall placement. So further investigation would be needed to see if the 4000 would indeead work but my gut says it will.
If my Sony dies or I get the itch the 4000 or the Epson 8700UB would likely be my choice if not something new I havent seen on my radar shows up. The Sony will thrill for sure as would these others mentioned, as always shopping needs to be looked at from the fact your never going to have a likely side by side comparison so its pointless to fuss over it.
I got dizzy everytime I upgraded projectors with specs, stats and reviews, never once did I regret a infomered purchase. You noted a fantastic price on the Sony so if its in the $1500 or less range go with it, if on the other hand its at the $2k mark do think about the 4000, the Epson and others you may enjoy aswell.
Like always feel free to ask a question here or private if you think I can help........would be glad to. Cheers