Exhibit 23.2

              Consent of Independent Certified Public Accountants

   We have issued our reports dated February 8, 1999, accompanying the
consolidated statements of operations, shareholder's equity and cash flows for
the period ended December 31, 1998, and schedules incorporated by reference in
the Annual Report of Federal Realty Investment Trust on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2000. We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference of
said reports in the Registration Statement of Federal Realty Investment Trust
on Form S-3 (to be filed on or about May 29, 2001) and the use of our name as
it appears under the caption "Experts."

                                          GRANT THORNTON LLP

Washington, DC
May 29, 2001