Welcome - Benchmark

Benchmark Development

We are a team of real estate development professionals driven by the desire to establish enduring partnerships in order to create compelling projects that serve an untapped market.

We have deep experience as developers, builders, and owners. We build great teams as we identify opportunities and develop solutions which culminate in the creation of exceptional projects.

Real collaboration ensures our projects are supported by the local community

Permitting real estate projects could be one of the most challenging aspects of the business. Benchmark has a proven approach which brings efficiency and certainty to a process that if not managed properly often leaves developers having wasted huge sums of time and money. Benchmark has a notable track record in that we have successfully permitted every project we have pursued.

A firm built on relationships

We’ve found that when you respect people and value their time, strong relationships will follow. By putting all our cards on the table and having open, honest discussions from the onset, we lay the groundwork for success in every project we develop.

And while there are plenty of projects out there, we look to connect with people for whom our way of doing business resonates – people who want to engage in a productive working relationship where the needs of all parties are aligned.

Our team delivers deep expertise in the following areas:

+ Deal sourcing

+ Underwriting

+ Site planning + design

+ Entitlements

+ Design development

+ Owner’s representative services

+ Financing

+ Investor sourcing + investor relations

Our principals

Operating with respect and valuing the time of others is a conscious decision. We believe that life is too short to not love what you do – and the surest way to love what you do is to genuinely enjoy the people you work with. So we’ve created an open and honest environment where our team, partners, and many support professionals feel supported and valued.

Our principals, Michael Charles and Brian Cohan, are both residents of Berkshire County, Massachusetts. When they’re not out cycling, skiing, or taking joint- family trips together, they’re usually sitting side-by-side in the office or on the road, building relationships, connecting with clients and potential partners, and making each other laugh.

Our greatest strength is building teams that then create exceptional projects