What J.A. Brennan Associates does

J.A. Brennan Associates, PLLC is a Seattle-headquartered landscape architecture and planning firm founded in 1975, operating with a 1–10 person team from offices in Seattle and Bellingham, Washington. The firm delivers full-lifecycle professional services for parks, recreation areas, open spaces, and environmental projects — from programming and master planning through public involvement, detail design, ADA design and consulting, permitting support, construction documents, bid support, and construction observation. Project expertise spans parks and open space, ecological design and LID/stormwater management, habitat restoration, master planning, streetscapes, trails and viewpoints, transportation corridors, urban environments, and waterfronts and shorelines.

The firm's core technology is human-led design grounded in specialized domain expertise rather than software platforms: bio-filtration drainage system design, Low Impact Development (LID) and stormwater management, ABA Accessibility Guidelines consulting for outdoor developed areas, ecological restoration, and public-engagement-led planning. Notable proprietary specializations include bio-swale plant material performance evaluation (Drew Coombs), ADA compliance for trails, beach access, and camping sites (Dan Shaw), and culturally sensitive tourism design for Taiwan's East Coast (Jim Brennan, 15+ years). These capabilities are documented through award-winning project outcomes, including the WRPA Facilities and Parks Spotlight Award for the Don Morse Park Restoration.

The business model is project-based professional services revenue, with fees determined through direct engagement and public bidding/RFP processes targeting government and quasi-government clients. The customer base is dominated by municipal parks departments, county Public Utility Districts, and federal agencies (notably the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), with a small number of private commercial clients (e.g., Campbell's Lodge, MRV Architects). The firm maintains a professional services marketing presence via its portfolio website, the "j.a.b.LOG" blog, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and staff presentations at industry events such as the WRPA Annual Conference. International work is anchored by a long-standing Taiwan East Coast Tourism Bureau engagement.

Name

J.A. Brennan Associates

Legal name

J.A. Brennan Associates, PLLC

Website

https://jabrennan.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

J.A. Brennan Associates is a Seattle-based landscape architecture and planning firm serving municipal, county, and federal government clients across the Pacific Northwest with specialized expertise in park design, ecological restoration, LID/stormwater management, and ADA accessibility consulting.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Services: Project-based professional services including landscape architecture, planning, design, permitting support, construction documents, and construction observation for parks, recreation areas, and open spaces

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

J.A. Brennan Associates is a landscape architecture and planning firm that delivers professional services across the full project lifecycle — Programming, Master Planning, Public Involvement, Detail Design, ADA Design & Consulting, Permitting Support, Construction Documents, Bid Support, and Construction Observation. Practice areas include parks and recreation, ecological design/LID/stormwater, habitat restoration, master planning, streetscapes, trails, transportation, urban environments, and waterfronts/shorelines.

Product overview

J.A. Brennan Associates is a landscape architecture and planning firm (PLLC) that offers professional services for parks, recreation areas, open spaces, and environmental projects. Their core service offering consists of landscape architecture and planning services encompassing the full project lifecycle from programming and master planning through public involvement, detail design, ADA consulting, permitting, construction documents, and construction observation. The firm's project expertise spans multiple specialized areas including Parks | Open Space | Recreation, Ecological Design | LID | Stormwater, Habitat | Restoration, Master Planning, Streetscapes | Public Spaces, Trails | Viewpoints, Transportation, Urban Environments, and Waterfronts | Shorelines. The company is not a software or technology product company—it provides traditional professional landscape architecture and planning services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Landscape Architecture & Planning Services Comprehensive professional landscape architecture and planning services spanning the full project lifecycle from programming and master planning through construction observation. Project expertise spans parks and open space, ecological design and LID/stormwater, habitat and restoration, master planning, streetscapes and public spaces, trails and viewpoints, transportation, urban environments, and waterfronts/shorelines. Clients include city and county parks departments, public utility districts, federal agencies, and private entities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Don Morse Park Restoration received WRPA Facilities and Parks Spotlight Award
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tetra Tech, Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationEngineering partner on multiple projects including Riverview Park Ecosystem Restoration Project. Provided bio-engineering solutions, prime consultant and project engineer for habitat enhancement channels. Collaboration on Green River Ecology theme flood wall design for City of Kent.
• ECG InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Joe Lee of ECG International for Taiwan East Coast Tourism Bureau projects. Explored culturally sensitive design concepts and presented case study projects for tribal community engagement.
• Davido Consulting GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on bio-filtration drainage system design at Marra-Desimone Park for Seattle Public Utilities. Partnership for improved roadway drainage in South Park neighborhood.
• Reid MiddletoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering firm hired by City of Tacoma for Old Town Dock renovation, with J.A. Brennan providing landscape architecture. Design team collaborated with Old Town Dock Citizen Advisory Group.
• Metro Parks TacomacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwan Creek Park project partnership. J.A. Brennan presented schematic design for 1st phase of the 380+ acre park, working with community stakeholders including Friends of Swan Creek.
• Chelan County Public Utility DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClient for Entiat Park Revitalization project. Multi-disciplinary team including AJEM, Pacific Engineering, Z Engineers, HV Engineers, Nelson Geotechnical developed design for the $6 million waterfront park.
• AJEM, Pacific Engineering, Z Engineers, HV Engineers, Nelson GeotechnicalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-disciplinary consultant team assembled for Entiat Park Revitalization project providing engineering, geotechnical, and design services.
• Harbor Power EngineeringminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on double mast-arm light design for Old Town Dock renovation, working with J.A. Brennan to recall historic wharf design standards.
• Chandler O'LearyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtist who created 'Droplets' porcelain enamel art installations depicting Tacoma waterfront history for Old Town Dock project.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• OLIN: Landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm with parks, ecological design, and public realm expertise. Comparable design philosophy but operates at larger scale on higher-profile projects.
• Tetra Tech: Global engineering, environmental consulting, and design firm that competes for the same public-sector ecological restoration and stormwater RFPs (and is also J.A. Brennan's engineering partner on multiple projects).
• SWA Group: Established national landscape architecture, planning, and urban design firm with parks, waterfronts, and ecological restoration practices. Overlaps in service categories but operates at much larger scale.
• LandDesign: National multi-disciplinary landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm. Comparable service line but broader geographic footprint and significantly larger scale than J.A. Brennan.

Regional players

• Otak: Architecture, engineering, and planning firm serving Pacific Northwest public agencies on parks, transportation, and waterfront projects. Competes in the same government RFP pool.
• Parametrix: Pacific Northwest-based engineering, planning, and environmental sciences firm. Competes for similar public-sector park, waterfront, and habitat restoration work in Washington and Oregon.

Direct peers

• Berger Partnership: Seattle-based landscape architecture firm serving public agencies, institutions, and developers on parks, urban design, and waterfront projects. Comparable scale and Pacific Northwest government client base.
• PWL Partnership: Vancouver-based landscape architecture firm with parks, public realm, and waterfront expertise. Operates adjacently in the Pacific Northwest market with a comparable specialty practice profile.
• Site Workshop: Landscape architecture and planning firm in the Pacific Northwest specializing in parks, trails, and public spaces. Directly comparable in service offering and regional government focus.
• SvR Design Company: Seattle-based landscape architecture and planning firm with similar focus on parks, ecological restoration, and public-sector clients in the Pacific Northwest. Closest direct comparable by geography, size band, and service mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/jabrennanlandarch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/j-a--brennan-associates-pllc/about/?viewAsMember=true
• Instagraminstagram.com/jabrennan_la
• Xx.com/jabrennanla

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about J.A. Brennan Associates