Lawrence, MA According to Gary Sidell and Fred Faust, their respective firms, Bell Tower Management LLC of Lawrence, MA and The Edge Group, Inc. of Lowell, MA, have merged and rebranded as Bell Tower Commercial Real Estate Group. The firm builds on the strength and reputation that each individual firm was known for in the Greater Lawrence, Merrimack Valley and Greater Lowell communities. This announcement is the culmination of Sidell and Faust deciding to combine forces back in 2021. Since that time, they have been identifying and implementing best practices, building on core capabilities, combining operations and adding talent. After months of planning and strategic creative work, the firm is excited to start the new year with a new name, new look and new website. 

Sidell will serve as president and Faust will be principal and broker of record. Commercial real estate services will continue to include brokerage, property management, project management and consulting services. Offices will remain in both Lawrence and Lowell to best serve the client base including north of Boston and Southern New Hampshire.

“It’s an understatement to say that I am proud of our association and what we’ve been able to build in under two years,” said Sidell. “I think our clients have witnessed our additional capacities, as well. On a personal basis, Fred and I have found it rewarding to be able to share ideas, make sound decisions and work together to build a talented and caring team.”

To understand the success and passion behind Bell Tower and The Edge Group, one would need to go back some 20+ years.

Working with his father, the late Chet Sidell, the father and son team built – at times brick by brick – a loyal client base appreciative of their passion for quality and community. Additionally, Gary and Chet helped to develop and coordinate the renovation of multiple historic properties in Lawrence. At the time of the merger of the companies, Bell Tower held a management portfolio of approximately 450,000 s/f. Gary’s commitment to community is reflected in his service on multiple area boards. These include as Board President, Family Services of the Merrimack Valley, Founding Board Member of the Lawrence Partnership, as Member of the Mayor’s Economic Development Transition Team in Lawrence, and as a member of the Master Plan Advisory Committee in North Andover. 

Faust has a background in both the public and private sector. Within two years of arriving in Lowell, Faust signed on with then candidate for Congress Paul Tsongas and assisted with campaign media and press. Spending time as a legislative assistant in Washington and working on all of Paul’s campaigns, in 1980, Faust returned to Lowell to become the executive director of the Lowell Historic Preservation Commission. After a focus on real estate development, Faust established The Edge Group in 1997, becoming a go-to company for area brokerage and property management services. In 2016, Faust, along with the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, founded the Lowell Waterways Action Initiative which has been responsible for the lighting of multiple historic properties and has encouraged more active use of Lowell’s national landmark waterways.

“Fred and I knew each other for some time,” Sidell said. “We always had a great deal of mutual respect while running our own separate firms. When we first talked about working together, it seemed to make a lot of sense for us and our clients. In fact, by combining efforts, we’ve increased our capacity and our reach in the region. Most importantly, we’ve been able to build on our philosophy of doing business with a high level of energy and a personal touch. That’s the foundation point for both of our businesses. We work hard, take great pride in and love what we do.”

Faust said, “Working with Gary for the past year or so has been extremely rewarding. He is thoughtful, dedicated and a very hard worker. Gary genuinely cares about everyone. Just ask any client about his loyalty and commitment to follow through. That we were able to combine our efforts and maintain an emphasis on both professional management and strong sales and marketing backgrounds, well that’s just a win-win. Now, together, we can focus even more comprehensively on the commercial real estate needs of our clients, giving us a unique set of skills and services to offer to our clients.”

The team at Bell Tower Commercial Real Estate Group look to the future with excitement, with an ongoing focus on building relationships and delivering value for its clients.