Old peach orchard now booming with high-end offices in Modesto, Calif.

Byline: J.N. Sbranti

Sep. 3--What once was a family-owned peach orchard has become a multimillion-dollar business park just north of Modesto.

Upscale office buildings have started opening in The Summit Corporate Center, and construction there is booming.

"We've been gratified to see the market's response to this project," said Dean Arakelian, managing director of Berberian Properties LLC, which began developing the center in 2003. "We were surprised how quickly (the lots sold)."

The nearly 50-acre project is south of Bangs Avenue and west of McHenry Avenue.

"The Berberian family has owned the property for 36 years," Arakelian said.

He said there was pent-up demand for an upscale business park in north Modesto.

"We were in desperate need of a project like this in our community," said Chris Beck of Velthoen Associates Commercial Brokers, which marketed the lots.

Beck said the center's strict building design, architecture and landscaping codes attracted professionals who wanted space in a high-end project.

Berberian Properties has held back some of the lots in the center for future development.

"We're going to wait for the right opportunity there to construct build-to-suit products for financially strong tenants," Arakelian said.…