Who We Are
Delaware's Local HomebuilderOur Story
Since 1988, Benchmark Builders has been building the dream for homeowners right here in the First State. Read on to learn more about where we've been and where we're headed after more than three decades of great homes and quality customer service.
In the era of national and multinational corporations dominating the business landscape, there’s something to be said for a locally-owned company.
“Between the great recession, consolidation, and the ever-rising presence of national or publicly-traded homebuilding companies, there’s only a handful of us local builders left,” says Richard Julian, president of Benchmark Builders. “We’re not going anywhere.”
Rich is part of the third generation of the family business, which began as Eastern States Construction in 1953. Our company grew from Eastern States Construction’s increased work and exposure in the homebuilding sphere, as well as a desire to enter the homebuilding industry for themselves.
“We were putting in streets for homebuilders, and then we did land development and subdivided lots,” says company founder Francis Julian. “I always liked and admired the homebuilding business. So, when we had an opportunity to get into it, we did.”
In 1989, we broke ground on our very first development: Frenchtown Woods, a single-family community in Glasgow near the Maryland state line. After a few more single-family developments came Hershey Run, our initial foray into 55+ communities. Benchmark has built and completed eight additional 55+ communities in Delaware and is currently building these communities in two places – the Village of Eastridge in Smyrna and Traditions at Whitehall near Middletown.
And then there’s our partnership in the Town of Whitehall, a new urbanist community just south of the C&D Canal that incorporates residential, commercial and recreational spaces to create a beautiful, accessible place to live.
As we prepare for the future, Benchmark Builders will balance a legacy of quality craftmanship and local tradition while continuing to grow, innovate and evolve.
“There are not many local home builders left that can maintain the needed land inventory, build a quality house, and compete with the very big national builders,” says chief operating officer Fred Fortunato. “We can, we have, and we will continue to do so.”
And we will do so in Delaware, where it all began 35 years ago.