SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT



Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report:   April 17, 1997



                         Federal Realty Investment Trust
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             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

    District of Columbia                1-7533                   52-0782497
- ----------------------------       -----------------        -------------------
(State or other jurisdiction   (Commission File Number)     (IRS Employer of 
of incorporation                                            identification No.)


      1626 East Jefferson Street, Rockville, Maryland                  20852
- --------------------------------------------------------           -------------
         (Address of principal executive offices)                    (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number including area code:   301/998-8100
                                                     ------------




Exhibit Index appears on page 3
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Item 5.     Other Events

                  Exhibits are filed herewith in connection  with Federal Realty
Investment Trust's final prospectus supplement dated April 17, 1997 to its final
prospectus  dated November 7, 1995  (Registration  No.  33-63687) filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on April 17, 1997 and relating to the Trust's
Medium-Term  Notes Due Nine  Months or More  from Date of Issue  (the  "Notes").
Attached  as  Exhibit 5 hereto is an opinion  from  Kirkpatrick  & Lockhart  LLP
regarding the legality of the Notes.  The consent of  Kirkpatrick & Lockhart LLP
to the inclusion of such opinion in this Form 8-K is included in the opinion.

Item 7.     Financial Statements and Exhibits

Exhibit  5        Opinion Regarding Legality

Exhibit 23        Consent of Counsel (included in Exhibit 5)

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereto duly authorized.

                                       FEDERAL REALTY INVESTMENT TRUST

                                       /s/ Cecily A. Ward
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       Cecily A. Ward
                                       Controller (Principal Accounting Officer)


Date:    April 17, 1997






                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

ITEM NO.

       5         Opinion Regarding Legality
      23         Consent of Counsel (included in the opinion)