Clinton Brown Company Architecture, PC

What Clinton Brown Company Architecture, PC does

Clinton Brown Company Architecture, PC (CBCA) is a privately held professional corporation headquartered in Buffalo, New York, specializing in historic preservation architecture. Founded in 1988 by Clinton E. Brown, FAIA, the firm delivers architectural and project management services focused on the renovation, rehabilitation, and adaptive reuse of historic buildings, with work spanning New York State. Core service offerings include Historic Resource Surveys, National Register nominations, Historic Structure Reports, preservation planning and feasibility studies, design guidelines, and State and Federal Historic Tax Credit application preparation. The firm holds credentials meeting and exceeding the Secretary of the Interior's 36 CFR Part 61 Professional Qualification Standards across History, Architectural History, Architecture, and Historic Architecture.

The firm's underlying capability is concentrated domain expertise rather than proprietary technology: CBCA's staff have surveyed nearly 17,000 resources across 25 Historic Resource Surveys and successfully nominated more than 8,000 designated resources across 43 nomination formats. Grant writing and administration is an integrated practice line, with the firm's Business Manager having helped clients raise more than $37 million in preservation grants across 300+ Main Street and 70+ Erie County Commercial Center Improvement Program projects. The firm complements its services with direct-to-consumer book sales ('Olmsted's Elmwood', softcover $39.95, hardcover $49.95) published through City of Light Publishing.

The business model is project-based professional services with three revenue streams: (1) architecture and project management fees from municipal, nonprofit, preservation organization, and private developer clients, primarily acquired through RFP responses, professional referrals, and direct engagement; (2) grant writing and administration fees, including for state programs such as NYS Consolidated Funding Applications, EPF Grants, NYMS Technical Assistance, Preserve NY, DRI, and BMSI; and (3) modest direct-to-consumer book e-commerce. CBCA markets through its website, published thought leadership, organic social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), professional affiliations (AIA, Preservation League of NYS, National Trust for Historic Preservation), and client referrals.

Name

Clinton Brown Company Architecture, PC

Legal name

Clinton Brown Company Architecture, PC

Website

https://clintonbrowncompany.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Clinton Brown Company Architecture, PC is a Buffalo, NY-based historic preservation architecture firm serving municipalities, nonprofits, and property owners throughout New York State with restoration, adaptive reuse, National Register nominations, historic tax credit services, and grant administration.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Buffalo

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. Historic Preservation Architecture Services: Full-service architectural and project management services for renovation, rehabilitation, adaptive reuse, and historic preservation projects. Revenue generated through professional service fees for architectural consulting, design, and project management.
2. Grant Writing & Administration: Grant writing services for clients to secure funding from public sources, private foundations, and other sources. Alma O'Connell-Brown has helped clients raise more than $37 million in grants. Also includes administration of grant programs.
3. Book Sales: Sale of published book 'Olmsted's Elmwood: The Rise, Decline and Renewal of Buffalo's Parkway Neighborhood, A Model for America's Cities' at $39.95 (softcover) and $49.95 (hardcover) plus shipping.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Clinton Brown Company Architecture, PC (CBCA) is a full-service historic preservation architecture firm based in Buffalo, NY that delivers architectural services, grant writing and administration, historic resource surveys, National Register nominations, preservation planning, and historic tax credit application preparation for clients across New York State. The firm also publishes a book, 'Olmsted's Elmwood,' documenting the history of Buffalo's Elmwood District.

Product overview

Clinton Brown Company Architecture, PC is a full-service historic preservation architecture firm offering a coordinated suite of services for renewing historic buildings and heritage places. The core service portfolio comprises four interconnected practice areas: Architectural Services (adaptive reuse, restoration, rehabilitation, project management), Grant Writing & Administration (NYS grant programs including NYMS, DRI, BMSI), Historic Structure Reports & Surveys (National Register nominations, tax credit applications), and Preservation Planning (feasibility studies, heritage strategies). The SHORTC Services module provides specialized homeowner tax credit application preparation. Additionally, the firm publishes the book 'Olmsted's Elmwood' in both Hardcover and Paperback editions as a complementary educational product documenting Buffalo's Elmwood District history.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Services Comprehensive architectural services including adaptive reuse, additions and alterations, building condition assessment, restoration, rehabilitation, and project management for historic preservation projects. Intended for municipalities, property owners, developers, and preservation organizations across New York State.
• Grant Writing & Administration Services Grant writing and administrative services for NYS Consolidated Funding Applications, EPF Grants, New York Main Street Technical Assistance Program, Preserve NY, Downtown Revitalization Initiative, and Buffalo Main Street programs. Designed for municipalities, preservation organizations, and property owners pursuing public and private preservation funding.
• Historic Structure Reports & Surveys Historic nomination services, historic resources surveys, homeowner and commercial tax credit applications, and National Register nomination preparation. Used by municipalities, preservation organizations, and property owners seeking formal historic designation and survey documentation.
• Preservation Planning Feasibility studies, historic structure reports, heritage strategies and planning, interpretation services, and accessibility reports for historic preservation projects. Targeted at communities, municipalities, and property owners planning preservation interventions.
• SHORTC Services (State Historic Homeowner Tax Credit) Expert preparation of State Historic Homeowner Tax Credit (SHORTC) applications for homeowners with houses listed in State and National Registers, potentially qualifying for a 20% state historic tax credit on repair costs. Targeted at individual homeowners of historic properties.
• Olmsted's Elmwood (Hardcover) Lushly illustrated hardcover book documenting the history of Buffalo's Elmwood District, from Joseph Ellicott's arrival through Frederick Law Olmsted's parks and parkways into modern renewal. Sold directly to consumers at $49.95.
• Olmsted's Elmwood (Paperback) Lushly illustrated paperback edition of the Elmwood District history book sold directly to consumers at $39.95 plus flat-rate shipping.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 17,000 resources surveyed in 25 Historic Resource Surveys
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 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

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Heritage Resources, LLCcoreOthersM/WBE company owned and operated by Alma Brown, specializing in Grant Writing and Grant Administrative Services. Works closely with CBCA on grant-related projects.
• City of Light PublishingminorOthersLocal publishing company co-founded by Marti Gorman that publishes and markets Clinton Brown's Olmsted's Elmwood book.
• Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinton Brown appointed Commissioner by Secretaries of the Interior to the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission.
• Richardson Center CorporationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinton Brown appointed by the Governor as founding Director of the Richardson Center Corporation Board that is renewing Buffalo's former Asylum.
• Willowbank School of Restoration ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinton Brown serves as Board member of Willowbank School of Restoration Arts in Queenston, Ontario, Canada, of which HRH The Prince of Wales has been Patron.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/clintonbrowncompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clinton-brown-co-architecture
• Instagraminstagram.com/cbca.buffalo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Clinton Brown Company Architecture, PC