P.O. Box 1487 • Blue Bell, PA 19422 • (215) 628-2200 • Fax (215) 283-9970

About Us

Franklin Realty Development Corporation…Vision and Experience
Franklin Realty Development Corporation is a full-service commercial developer/owner of mid-rise suburban office and flex buildings in southeastern Pennsylvania. Headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, Franklin Development was founded in 1984 and has developed more than 2 million square feet of office and flex space on 550 acres in Berks, Bucks, Chester, Lehigh, Montgomery, and Northampton Counties. The present aggregate value of Franklin projects exceeds $120 million.

Franklin Development provides land owners and investors with a full range of development services including project planning, building design, financing, construction and property management. The company builds for its own portfolio, sells to third party investors or will build-to-suit on Franklin Development property or that of its clients. It has recently financed projects with such leading commercial lenders as Chase Manhattan Bank and Credit Suisse First Boston.

A Beginning In Chester County

In 1985, Franklin Development became one of the first developers to build Class “A” speculative office space in Exton, Pennsylvania. Starting with Whiteland Plaza on Route 30 in the Whiteland Business Park, the company went on to develop 11 buildings in the Exton/West Chester area totaling nearly 400,000 square feet. Franklin’s Exton projects were well received and quickly leased and sold.

Its success in Chester County quickly led Franklin to projects in Montgomery and Northampton Counties expanding its base in growing suburban business environments. Second only to its Chester County activity, Franklin Development’s projects in the exploding Lehigh Valley built a solid presence and a reputation as a leading developer in that market. Since 1986, Franklin has completed more than 13 buildings in the Valley.

In 2001, with new projects underway in Lehigh, Northampton, Bucks and Montgomery Counties, Franklin Development embarked into the world of office renovation. The target of this restoration project is the landmark North American Technology Center on Jacksonville Road in Warminster, Pennsylvania. Now called CenterPointe Office Center, the like-new two-story office building offers
95,000 square feet of superior office space in the growing Philadelphia high-tech corridor.

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Professionals Guide Every Service

Founded, owned and managed by seasoned commercial real estate development specialists, Franklin Development has successfully assembled a management team of experienced professionals having expertise in such disciplines as financing, property valuation, sales and leasing, general contracting, architecture and property management. Additionally, Franklin Development has sought out and entered into strategic relationships with recognized leaders in various commercial real estate markets including national and local brokerage and leasing firms.

Testament To Quality

As impressive as Franklin Development’s record of successful building completions is, it is surpassed only by the quality of companies seeking Franklin Development buildings to lease or buy. Its tenants include, or have included, Smith Kline Beecham Animal Health, QVC Network, Inc., State Farm Insurance Company, Warner Lambert, Pfizer Specialty Minerals, Montblanc, Verizon, Environmental Resources Management, Inc., Nationwide Insurance, The Associates Corporation, General Electric, Roy F. Weston, Inc., Borg-Warner, Westinghouse ABB, Duane Morris & Heckscher, St. Luke’s Hospital and Ceridian Corporation.

Franklin Development has also built corporate headquarters buildings for such firms as Pfizer Specialty Minerals, Automobile Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia and First National Bank of West Chester, PA State Education Association, McCallion Staffing, Stealler Scientific Automotive Training Center, Act Technical Inc. National real estate investors who have purchased Franklin projects include Brandywine Realty Trust and Principal Financial Group.

Experienced Office Developer/Manager

Developed by Franklin Realty Development Corporation of Blue Bell, a leading area commercial developer of quality office buildings, Franklin Corporate Center will offer lots ranging from three acres. Franklin has developed corporate office facilities totalling in excess of 2 million square feet throughout the suburban Philadelphia area as well as in Reading and the Lehigh Valley. Franklin’s nearest owned and managed facility is the 95,000 square foot CenterPointe Office Center, the newly renovated two-story office building located on Jacksonville Road adjacent to Franklin Corporate Center.

Peter H. Gebert President
Mr. Gebert has over 26 years of experience in the commercial real estate industry. He began his career in 1979 with Hansen Properties, and rose to the position of Vice President and head of Hansen’s Real Estate Department. During his five years there, Mr. Gebert was actively involved in the development and leasing of over 1,000,000 square feet of suburban office space.

In late 1984, Mr. Gebert founded the Franklin Realty Development Corporation, serving as President and Chief Operating Officer. Over the next twenty years, Franklin purchased over 700 acres of raw land for approximately $34,000,000 and developed twenty-seven projects (42 buildings) totaling over 1,600,000 square feet. Said projects located in Berks, Chester, Montgomery, Lehigh and Northampton Counties had an aggregate value in excess of $200,000,000.

In June of 2003, Mr. Gebert Directed the purchase of 80 acres at the intersection of Street Rd. and Jacksonville road in Warminster , PA and started the Franklin Corporation Center.  This strategically located site was purchased, approved and improved, and is one of only 12 Keystone Opportunity Zones (which provide numerous tax incentives to owners and tenants) in the state of Pennsylvania.  In less than eighteen months from groundbreaking, Franklin has completed four (4) buildings totaling 200,000 square feet with an aggregate value in excess of $25,000,000.  The site when completed will contain between 800,000 square feet to 1 million square feet of space and will provide a bank, mid-rise hotel and daycare center.  Total value of the development is projected to be in excess of $100,000,000

Franklin's most recent acquisition is the seven (7) building, 280,000 square foot Roma Corporation Center in Allentown, PA. Mr. Gebert will oversee the complete renovation and repositioning of this project which when completed will have an aggregate value in excess of $35,000,000.

During this time, Mr. Gebert has been actively involved in all phases of the commercial development process, including site selection, project design, development and regulatory approvals, construction, financing, marketing and investment sales. 

Mr. Gebert is a graduate of Lehigh University with a B.S. degree in Business and Economics majoring in Finance and is a licensed real estate broker in Pennsylvania.

Hampton C. Randolph, Jr. Executive VP
Mr. Randolph has over 25 years of experience in commercial real estate. He started his career with Western Savings Bank and rose to the position of Senior Vice President and was a member of the Bank’s Senior Officer Group. He was responsible for the management, leasing and maintenance of all bank-owned real estate amounting to over 500,000 square feet in two office buildings and 36 branch offices.

Mr. Randolph joined Hansen Properties, as Vice President of Marketing in 1984 and over 18 months was involved in the sale of two projects and the leasing of over 200,000 square feet.

Mr. Randolph joined Franklin Realty Development Corp. in mid 1985 as Senior Vice President and was elevated to Executive Vice President in 1988. During the past 20 years, he marketed and leased over 1,500,000 square feet of office and flex space in Berks, Chester, Montgomery and Northampton Counties and was directly responsible for leasing and management of all Franklin projects.

Most recently Mr. Randolph has been involved in the acquisition, development, leasing and management of the 88 for Franklin corporation center located in Warminster P. A..  When fully developed, the site is expected to contain between 800,000 square feet to 1 million square feet of space. the project currently consists of four buildings totaling 200,000 square feet.

Mr. Randolph has also been actively involved in the acquisition of the Roma Corporation Center, a seven building, 279,000 square feet of office project in Allentown, PA.  His primary responsibilities include coordination with the architect, implementation of the leasing program with the new leasing agent and overseeing the management of the properties. 

Mr. Randolph is a graduate of the University of Virginia with a BA degree and is a licensed real estate associate broker in Pennsylvania.

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