In the world of real estate, there are rarely any revolutionary ideas that transform the industry. Some companies build better buildings, others put up nicer malls or developments, but they all follow a similar model. That is, until Bell Works and Ralph Zucker came along.
If you’ve ever heard of Bell Works—the iconic two-million-square-foot former Bell Labs building in Holmdel, New Jersey—you’re already familiar with his work, even if you didn’t know the person behind the vision. Ralph, the CEO and founder of Inspired by Somerset Development and the creative force behind the “metroburb” concept, didn’t just build something; he reimagined what a suburban space could be. Bell Works is a mini city with what Ralph likes to call “an indoor block” with hundreds of offices, retail shops, restaurants, gyms, a basketball court and more. In fact, it’s place where people go just to enjoy the environment.
Ralph’s story begins as a Lakewood yungerman who, realizing that he needed a larger living space, envisioned gathering a few friends together for a new development. However, that “development” led to a career in development, and today Ralph heads both Inspired by Somerset Development and the Bell Works empire.
His journey winds through hands-on construction jobs, a cabinet shop—and a single phone call that changed everything.
We spoke about real estate, but more than that, we spoke about staying calm under pressure, handling mistakes and learning from them, the balance between home life and business, and why success doesn’t necessarily have to happen overnight.
This one is rich in advice and ideas. Enjoy!
—Nesanel
“As a teenager, I wasn’t particularly entrepreneurial and didn’t have the classic lemonade stands. My first work experience came during the summers and Pesach. My family was in the hotel business, and I worked at two properties—Zucker’s Hotel and the La Vista Hotel—mostly in the dining room, sometimes even as a busboy.
“After my marriage and learning in kollel for five years, I knew that I needed to find a permanent home. That search ended up marking my first step into real estate and development. I partnered with a friend to purchase a property on East 8th Street in Lakewood on the ‘other side of the tracks.’ With no real experience, my partner and I struggled to navigate the process of getting approvals for 33 homes. We had no idea what we were doing, but we were fortunate to have guidance from Reb Yisroel Schenkolewski. Initially, we thought we could get a few friends together to live there, but we quickly realized that it wasn’t so simple, so we decided to approach it as a business. Once the project was approved, I sold my share, paid back what I owed, and gained invaluable experience working with architects and engineers. It also gave me a deeper understanding of how to envision development projects.
“I seem to have a natural ability to understand blueprints and plans. I see them as real models in my mind. The skill of envisioning how a conceptual idea will translate into reality has been invaluable to me over the years, and I truly enjoy the process.
“For my next project, I worked on assembling a collection of long, narrow backyards—each about 1,500 feet long and 80 to 100 feet wide—and eventually brought them together contractually. My goal was to get approvals for a new housing project, and I ended up securing plans for 54 units. Once I had the plans and the contracts in place, I needed a financial partner to help get it off the ground, so I partnered with an investor, which marked the beginning of my real break in the industry.
“There’s an interesting story of hashgachah pratis that I’d like to share. After selling my first property, I reinvested the profit in a small building on Monmouth Avenue in Lakewood, where a partner of mine and I set up a cabinet shop. One thing led to another, and before I knew it I found myself running a company called Dream Kitchens.
“To make ends meet, I also took a job as a superintendent on a construction site. I was managing the site, but I also gained hands-on experience with the actual work. Unlike today, where there’s a foreman for every task, we did everything ourselves using our hands. We didn’t have the money to hire a big crew, so I did whatever I could. Overseeing all of this—in addition to the rehabilitation of an apartment building—taught me a lot just by being on the job and working with various professionals.
“One day, I got a call from a potential client looking for help with cabinetry. It turned out that my rebbi had recommended me. I eventually became very involved in rehabilitating an entire project for this client, which led to us forming a close friendship. I later sold my shares in the cabinetry company, but it’s still very successful.
“At the time, I had an approved project in Village Park, where I planned to build townhouses and single-family homes. By then I had gained a solid understanding of construction. I wasn’t as experienced as I am now, but I had completed my first project, sold it out and was moving on to the second. I worked on the designs, managed sales and handled everything else—including sales and marketing. When I needed funding, I reached out to the same individual, explaining that I was looking for help. His response was very wise: ‘I’m not willing to invest in this deal, but I am willing to invest in you. Let’s start a company together.’ That’s how Inspired by Somerset Development came to be. After that, we worked together for nearly 25 years before I bought out his share. We’re still very close and remain good friends.
“When we started Inspired by Somerset Development, things were much less sophisticated than they are today. We wrote our own advertisements and hired someone to help with the graphics. The entire operation consisted of me and our director of construction, Chaim Dovid Schreiber, who is now our executive vice president.
“We eventually built 54 homes in Village Park, followed by more projects like The Villas, Pine River, Pine River Village and Somerset Walk. Over time, we expanded and branched out to areas like Jackson, Howell and Toms River, areas that weren’t initially part of the Orthodox market. We grew quickly and eventually added a secretary, job superintendents and nearly 40 employees. Today, our team is closer to 25.
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