Our History
Blakeley Properties is a Boston-based private real estate firm that owns and operates commercial property in Massachusetts.
Blakeley Properties is an endeavor of the Blakeley family and its patriarch, the late Gerald W. Blakeley Jr., former President of Blakeley Investment Company and one of the pioneers in modern day commercial real estate development and management in the United States. Mr. Blakeley was the co-founder of Blakeley Properties, which benefits from the long, deep and diverse history of real estate experience and excellence developed and guided by him.
A native of Boston, Mr. Blakeley graduated from Bowdoin College with a degree in biochemistry and physics and soon thereafter, joined the U.S. Navy at the outbreak of World War II. As a young fighter pilot, he flew many missions in the Pacific Theater and ultimately achieved the rank of U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander.
After serving his country, Mr. Blakeley embarked on a career in the real estate industry, with a focus on developing, owning and managing new properties to meet the needs of a burgeoning U.S. economy. After joining Boston-based Cabot, Cabot and Forbes, Mr. Blakeley quickly rose to become its President, Chairman and major shareholder.
Gerald W. Blakeley, Jr., 1920-2021
NAIOP’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the United Way Breakfast, 2010
While under Mr. Blakeley’s leadership, the company grew to become one of the largest commercial and industrial real estate companies in the country from the period 1950 to 1980. During that time, the company owned and operated the Ritz Carlton hotel properties in the U.S., was the developer of large, innovative communities in California and Florida, built landmark buildings in many major cities such as Boston, Chicago, Washington, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Philadelphia and Seattle and developed and owned over fifty industrial parks and shopping malls across the U.S.
Mr. Blakeley introduced many innovative ideas into both the real estate and financing industries.
His vision to integrate development with the natural environment led to the concept of landscaped office and industrial parks, allowing for the creation of a park-like atmosphere with lawns, trees and attractive overall landscaping.
Throughout his career, Mr. Blakeley worked closely and successfully with community groups in the planning, development and management of his projects. After selling Cabot, Cabot and Forbes, Mr. Blakeley established Blakeley Investment Company, which has continued to invest in numerous real estate projects around the U.S.
Mr. Blakeley was on the Board of Directors or Board of Trustees of many companies and institutions, including Bowdoin College, the University of Pennsylvania, Boston University, the Center for Real Estate at MIT, the Morehouse School of Medicine, the Woods Hole Oceanograhic Institute, the Boston Aquarium , the U.S. Coast Guard Foundation and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.