Bell Works
Bell Works is a private mixed-use real estate developer that converts historic corporate campuses (former Bell Labs and AT&T sites) into Metroburb destinations combining office leasing, coworking, retail, dining, fitness, events, and — increasingly — residential townhomes, serving enterprise HQs, SMB tenants, and visitors across three U.S. locations in New Jersey and Illinois.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersHolmdel, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Bell Works does
Bell Works, operated by parent company Inspired by Somerset Development (founded 2017, led by CEO Ralph Zucker), is a private mixed-use real estate developer and operator that converts historic corporate campuses into "Metroburb" destinations combining office, coworking, retail, dining, fitness, hospitality, and community programming in single suburban locations. The company operates three sites: the original Holmdel, NJ campus (the Eero Saarinen-designed 1962 Bell Labs building, 2 million SF with a quarter-mile atrium and 60,000 SF photovoltaic glass ceiling generating 180 kW of solar power); Bell Works Chicagoland (Hoffman Estates, IL, a 150-acre, 1.65-million-SF former Ameritech/AT&T campus designed by Lohan Associates, currently in Phase II buildout with a ceremonial east–west connection in 2026); and the new Bell Works Fort Monmouth (Tinton Falls, NJ, a third Metroburb being activated from the former Commvault building, anchored by a 222,000 SF Jersey Mike's headquarters commitment for 2026). Product surface spans Ready-To-Wear turnkey office suites (500–5,000 SF), CORE office leases (10,000+ SF), Colab coworking memberships, The Block retail promenade, Bell Market food hall, Gather conference/meeting space, Bell Theater performance venue, FitLab fitness center, and event venues including a ballroom, Zen Lake, and roof deck; Chicagoland further integrates a 164-unit Pulte Homes townhome development under construction. Revenue mechanics blend recurring subscription leases (office, coworking, retail), transaction-based event and F&B income, and longer-term mixed-use partnerships; commercial office leasing at Chicagoland is brokered exclusively through Colliers, while retail, coworking, and events are sold via direct in-house teams. Customer mix spans enterprise HQs (Cambium Networks, Convergint, VIPAR, Club Colors, Jersey Mike's, Arjo, Headline Solar), SMB tenants in coworking and small suites, retail/dining operators, and event/hospitality clients, with project financing historically structured around historical tax credits, state infrastructure credits, and construction loans rather than venture equity.
Bell Works firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Bell Works
- Legal name
- Bell Works
- Website
- https://bell.works
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Bell Works is a private mixed-use real estate developer that converts historic corporate campuses (former Bell Labs and AT&T sites) into Metroburb destinations combining office leasing, coworking, retail, dining, fitness, events, and — increasingly — residential townhomes, serving enterprise HQs, SMB tenants, and visitors across three U.S. locations in New Jersey and Illinois.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Bell Works industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mixed-Use Real Estate Development
- NAICS
- Facilities Support Services (561210), Construction of Buildings (236)
- SIC
- Services-Management Services (8741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Office Services & Supplies Management (Stationery, Inventory, Vendor Coordination) (IMAIALAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Workplace Hospitality & Office Services (Pantry, Refreshments, Supplies) (BPABAEAF)
Keywords
Where Bell Works is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Holmdel
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Bell Works business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Office Space Leasing: Traditional office leasing through turnkey 'Ready-To-Wear' suites (500-5,000 SF), built-to-suit options, and CORE spaces starting at 10,000 SF. Long and short-term lease options available.
- Coworking Memberships (Colab): Flexible coworking memberships including day rates, monthly passes, dedicated desks, and private offices. Members receive amenities including 24/7 access, parking, coffee/pantry, printing services, and conference room access.
- Event Venue Rental: Revenue from renting event spaces including meeting rooms (seating 6-24 people), multi-purpose rooms (70+ capacity), ballrooms, roof decks, and the quarter-mile atrium. Catering services available through on-site providers.
- Retail Space Leasing: Leasing of retail spaces in 'The Block' area to restaurants, shops, fitness centers, and service providers. Retail tenants include Bell Market food hall, Booskerdoo Coffee, Broadfork, Bar Bella, and various retailers.
- Hospitality and Food & Beverage: Revenue from on-site restaurants and food halls including Bell Market Square, Honeybell Bakery & Cafe, Corbo & Sons, Booskerdoo Coffee, and various dining concepts operated by third parties.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Meeting Room Rentals (Chicagoland Gather) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Coworking (Colab) Memberships |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Ready-To-Wear Office Suites |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Bell Works product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Bell Works is a mixed-use real estate development company that transforms historic corporate campuses (former Bell Labs and AT&T facilities) into "Metroburb" destinations combining office leasing, coworking, retail, dining, event venues, fitness, and community programming under one roof. It leases turnkey office suites, operates a coworking brand (CoLab), manages retail promenades and food halls, and rents event spaces across three locations in New Jersey and Illinois.
Product overview
Bell Works is a mixed-use real estate development company that transforms historic corporate campuses into 'Metroburbs' — mixed-use destinations combining office, retail, dining, hospitality, and community spaces. The company's offerings include coLab (flexible coworking), Ready-To-Wear turnkey office suites, traditional CORE office spaces for larger tenants, Gather conference center, and diverse event venues (Ballroom, Zen Lake, Roof Deck, Bell Theater). The Block serves as the central retail and dining promenade featuring Bell Market food hall and various shops and restaurants. Additional amenities include FitLab fitness center. Bell Works operates three locations: Holmdel, NJ (the original Bell Labs building), Chicagoland (Hoffman Estates, IL), and Fort Monmouth, NJ.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CoLab: Flexible coworking space offering desks, private offices, meeting rooms, and membership options for individuals and teams.
- Gather
- Bell Market
- On The Block
- Bell Theater
Products and services
- CoLab Coworking Flexible coworking space offering individual desks, dedicated desks, private offices, and meeting rooms with 24/7 access, member amenities including parking, coffee/pantry, printing, conference rooms, and community events. Targets freelancers, startups, and small teams.
- Ready-To-Wear Office Suites Pre-built turnkey office suites ranging from 500 to 5,000 square feet with custom designs, available for flexible short-term leasing for small to mid-sized businesses.
- CORE Office Spaces Ready-to-lease traditional office spaces starting at 10,000 square feet for larger businesses seeking custom build-out options at Bell Works Chicagoland.
- Gather Conference Center Expansive conference center with versatile meeting rooms (seating 6-24 people) and a multi-purpose room (70+ capacity), with on-site catering for corporate meetings and events at Bell Works Chicagoland.
- Event Venues (Ballroom, Zen Lake, Roof Deck, Bell Theater) Diverse event spaces including a lakeside ballroom, outdoor Zen Lake area, rooftop deck with bar, and Bell Theater for weddings, galas, corporate events, and performances at Bell Works Holmdel.
- Bell Market Food Hall Food hall featuring multiple dining concepts including wood-burning pizza, sushi, deli sandwiches, salads, and breakfast options, operated by RBC Hospitality Group at Bell Works New Jersey.
- The Block (On The Block) Retail Promenade A quarter-mile climate-controlled pedestrian avenue featuring retail shops, restaurants, and services arranged like an urban main street within the Bell Works mixed-use development, with leasable storefronts for retail and restaurant operators.
- FitLab @ Bell Works Full-service 31,680 SF fitness center powered by Kinema Fitness offering state-of-the-art commercial grade Precor equipment, open to tenants and the local community at Bell Works Chicagoland.
Quantifiable outcome
- Leased 73,500 SF of office and retail space to new tenants in early 2025
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Bell Works
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Bell Works technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Bell Works partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and key.
- CollierscoreColliers is a global commercial real estate services organization serving as the exclusive broker handling all office-related leasing needs for Bell Works Chicagoland. The partnership delivers commercial property services that drive leasing results for office spaces including Ready-To-Wear suites, Built-to-Suit, and CORE spaces. Steve Kling and Darryl Silverman lead the Colliers team for Bell Works.
- NPZ Style & Decor (Alexander Gorlin Architects, NPZ Studio+)coreNPZ Style & Decor (led by Paola Zamudio) and Alexander Gorlin Architects led the reimagination of the Bell Works New Jersey Metroburb. They curated a distinctly contemporary design while paying homage to Bell Works' storied past. Collaboration with Ron Arad resulted in the Albers floor pattern and iconic tubes throughout the atrium. Also handles creative direction and marketing for Bell Works.
- Wight & CompanycoreDesign firm partnered with Dirk Lohan (FAIA) returning to the Bell Works Chicagoland project. Working with Wight & Company to transform the former Ameritech Center into the Metroburb concept.
- Pulte HomeskeyPulte Homes purchased the first phase of the Bell Works townhome site for $14 million in December 2025. Building 164 high-end townhomes as part of the mixed-use Metroburb development at Bell Works Chicagoland in Hoffman Estates.
- Kinema Fitness (FitLab)keyKinema Fitness operates the FitLab fitness center (31,680 SF) at Bell Works Chicagoland, powered by Kinema Fitness. Open to tenants and the local community with state-of-the-art commercial grade Precor fitness equipment.
- Jersey Mike'skeyJersey Mike's signed to relocate headquarters to Bell Works Fort Monmouth with 222,000 sq ft commitment. This represents one of the largest leasing commitments at the third Metroburb location.
- Comcast BusinesscoreComcast Business completed network expansion at Bell Works Chicagoland, providing advanced connectivity solutions supporting the mixed-use development's technology needs.
- Pa'amon CateringkeyOn-site kosher catering partner at Bell Works Holmdel for kosher events. Provides exceptional culinary experiences for weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs, corporate events, and other kosher occasions under Belz Kosher Supervision.
- RBC Hospitality Group (Bell Market)coreRBC Hospitality Group operates Bell Market, the food hall at Bell Works Chicagoland. Chef Richard J. Corbo and sommelier Chantelle Corbo helm the culinary destination featuring wood-burning stove pizzas, salads, sushi, deli sandwiches, and breakfast options. Also provides catering for Gather meeting rooms.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Bell Works competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- RXR Realty: Owner and developer of mixed-use office, retail, and multifamily properties in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic; comparable in delivering amenity-rich suburban and transit-oriented workplace destinations.
- L&L Holding Company: New York-based office and mixed-use developer known for adaptive reuse of landmark buildings (e.g., 390 Madison, Terminal Warehouse); highly comparable to Bell Works' adaptive-reuse approach.
- Somerset Development: Parent operator of Bell Works and creator of the Metroburb concept; directly comparable as the developer/operator of mixed-use adaptive-reuse projects led by Ralph Zucker.
- The Howard Hughes Corporation: Developer of master-planned mixed-use communities combining office, retail, dining, and residential; directly comparable in building destination 'downtown-in-a-single-location' environments.
Others
- Cushman & Wakefield: Global commercial real estate services firm providing leasing, sales, and advisory; relevant adjacent peer as an alternative broker channel to Colliers, which is Bell Works' exclusive office leasing partner.
- Comcast Business: Connectivity and network infrastructure provider that completed a network expansion at Bell Works Chicagoland; relevant adjacent enabling partner for mixed-use tenant technology needs.
Emerging players
- Taconic Investment Partners: Manhattan-focused developer of office and mixed-use projects including adaptive reuse; comparable in transforming legacy buildings into modern mixed-use destinations.
Broad incumbents
- Brookfield Properties: Operates a large portfolio of office, retail, and mixed-use assets; relevant incumbent comparable in mixed-use workplace and destination retail strategy.
- Tishman Speyer: Global real estate developer of large-scale mixed-use and office properties; broad incumbent with overlapping capability in flagship workplace destinations and adaptive reuse.
- Vornado Realty Trust: Office and mixed-use REIT concentrated in high-demand Northeast markets; relevant incumbent against which Bell Works competes for enterprise HQ relocations.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Bell Works social profiles
Digital presenceBell Works financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bell Works leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
Bell Works funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bell Works M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Bell Works
What does Bell Works do?
Bell Works is a mixed-use real estate development company that transforms historic corporate campuses (former Bell Labs and AT&T facilities) into "Metroburb" destinations combining office leasing, coworking, retail, dining, event venues, fitness, and community programming under one roof. It leases turnkey office suites, operates a coworking brand (CoLab), manages retail promenades and food halls, and rents event spaces across three locations in New Jersey and Illinois.
Is Bell Works a public or private company?
Bell Works is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Bell Works founded?
Bell Works was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Bell Works based?
Bell Works is headquartered in Holmdel, United States, in the North America region.
How does Bell Works make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Office Space Leasing is the primary driver. The others are coworking Memberships (Colab), event Venue Rental, retail Space Leasing and hospitality and Food & Beverage.
Who are Bell Works's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are RXR Realty, L&L Holding Company, Somerset Development and The Howard Hughes Corporation. Others are Cushman & Wakefield and Comcast Business. Taconic Investment Partners is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Brookfield Properties, Tishman Speyer and Vornado Realty Trust.
Does Bell Works have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bell Works.
What industry is Bell Works in?
Bell Works's product category is Mixed-Use Real Estate Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAIALAH, Office Services & Supplies Management (Stationery, Inventory, Vendor Coordination), with a secondary code of BPABAEAF, Workplace Hospitality & Office Services (Pantry, Refreshments, Supplies). Its NAICS code is 561210 and its SIC code is 8741.