Crawford & Stearns

What Crawford & Stearns does

Crawford & Stearns, Architects and Preservation Planners, PLLC is a privately-held professional services firm founded in 1979 in Syracuse, New York, specializing in the architectural restoration, preservation, and adaptive reuse of historically and culturally significant properties. The firm operates as a Professional Limited Liability Company (PLLC) with a stable team of approximately seven personnel, including three licensed architects (one LEED-accredited), a senior preservation planner, a designer, an architectural intern, and an office administrator. Multiple staff hold Federal 36 CFR 61 qualifications in Architecture, Architectural History, and Historic Architecture, which is the regulatory credential required for publicly funded historic preservation work.

The firm's core offerings span condition assessments, historic structure reports, restoration planning, contract document preparation, construction administration, historic preservation tax credit consulting, and materials conservation consulting across nine vertical segments: religious institutions, municipal buildings, museums and historic sites, Adirondack/Great Camps, residential adaptive reuse, Main Street revitalization, and cultural heritage sites. Project scale ranges from sub-$500K preservation contracts to $9M rehabilitations. Client concentration is distributed across municipalities, religious institutions, non-profits, and private property owners in New York State and nine other states, leveraging public and private funding sources including EPF, EQBA/Bond Act, Save America's Treasures, IMLS, and NYS HCR programs.

The business model is project-based professional services, with fees determined by scope, project complexity, and funding source requirements. The firm distributes via direct engagement, RFPs, referrals, and partnerships with preservation organizations (Preservation League of NYS, SHPO, NPS, AARCH, Canal Society of NYS), with no disclosed marketing budget or external sales infrastructure. The firm has accumulated over 30 regional and national preservation awards between 1996 and 2022. There are no funding rounds, no institutional investors, no M&A activity, and no subsidiaries, reflecting a closely-held partnership structure led by Principal Randall T. Crawford.

Name

Crawford & Stearns

Legal name

Crawford & Stearns, Architects and Preservation Planners, PLLC

Website

https://crawfordstearns.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Crawford & Stearns is a Syracuse, NY-based architecture and historic preservation firm founded in 1979, providing restoration, adaptive reuse, and preservation planning services to municipalities, religious institutions, museums, and non-profits across nine U.S. states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Historic Preservation Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (541310)

SIC

Real Estate (6500)

akta.pro primary industry

Historic Preservation & Conservation Planning (BPAHAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Historic Home Renovation & Preservation (HSAPAEAG), Renovation, Remodeling & Tenant Improvements (General Contracting) (IMAFAAAE)

Keywords

• Historic preservation architecture
• Adaptive reuse design
• Historic structure reports
• Restoration planning services
• Municipal preservation consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Syracuse

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural and Preservation Consulting Services: Project-based professional services fees for architectural design, preservation planning, condition assessments, historic structure reports, construction administration, and compliance consulting. Revenue derived from direct client engagements with municipalities, religious institutions, museums, non-profits, and private property owners on restoration, preservation, and adaptive reuse projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Crawford & Stearns is an architecture and historic preservation firm that delivers professional consulting, design, and project management services for the restoration, rehabilitation, and adaptive reuse of architecturally, historically, and culturally significant properties. The firm provides conditions assessments, historic structure reports, contract document preparation, construction administration, and regulatory compliance consulting under Secretary of Interior's Standards, working primarily with National Register-listed buildings owned by municipalities, religious institutions, non-profits, and private owners.

Product overview

Crawford & Stearns / Architects and Preservation Planners, PLLC is a professional services firm founded in 1979 offering a comprehensive suite of historic preservation and architectural services. The firm's offerings include Historic Preservation Consulting Services, Museum Planning and Restoration, Municipal Building Services, Adirondack and Log Structure Documentation, Housing Rehabilitation and Adaptive Reuse, Religious Properties Services, Historic Structure Reports and Condition Assessments, Historic Preservation Tax Credit Consulting, and Main Street and Downtown Revitalization Programs. The firm primarily serves clients in New York State as well as Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, North Carolina, West Virginia, Ohio, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Michigan, working with National Register-listed properties utilizing various private and public funding sources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Historic Preservation Consulting Services
• Museum Planning and Restoration
• Municipal Building Services
• Adirondack and Log Structure Documentation
• Housing Rehabilitation and Adaptive Reuse
• Religious Properties Services
• Historic Structure Reports and Condition Assessments
• Historic Preservation Tax Credit Consulting
• Main Street and Downtown Revitalization Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• $7,000,000 adaptive reuse project for Harbor Street Lofts (40 housing units)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Klepper Hahn & HyattcoreTechnology or IntegrationStructural engineering firm that has partnered with Crawford & Stearns on multiple historic preservation projects including Trinity Episcopal Church masonry work, Onondaga County Courthouse restoration, and Wanakena Footbridge reconstruction. Brought in as engineers on exterior restoration, masonry, roofing, and bell tower projects.
• Community Preservation Committee (CPC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClient and project partner for Willard Memorial Chapel adaptive reuse feasibility assessment and EQBA tenant area rehabilitation work. CPC also working with Crawford & Stearns on NYS EPF grant projects for windows, masonry, and roofing.
• American Conservation Consortium, Ltd. (Marc Williams)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation partner for IMLS-funded ReCAP conservation assessment report for Willard Memorial Chapel buildings in 2013-14. Collaborated on comprehensive conservation planning.
• Development Authority of the North Country (DANC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssumed leadership role in Wanakena Footbridge reconstruction project, coordinating with Crawford & Stearns on design and engineering for the replica bridge. Key funding and project management partner.
• Wanakena Historical AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner in Wanakena Footbridge reconstruction, working with Town of Fine and Crawford & Stearns to restore this local landmark.
• Eagle Island, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit owner of Eagle Island Camp (National Historic Landmark) that retained Crawford & Stearns for conditions assessment and phased restoration work. Multi-phase project funded through NYS EPF and Save America's Treasures programs.
• Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit preservation organization that partnered with Crawford & Stearns on Camp Santanoni conservation planning and restoration work, including Getty Grant administration and NPS Save America's Treasures grant projects.
• Preservation League of New York StatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded Crawford & Stearns' Architectural Conservation Assessment for Log Hotel at Adirondack Museum. Ongoing partnership on preservation projects and grant funding through Northeast Heritage Economy Program.
• Canal Society of New York StatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOwner of Erie House Tavern at Lock 52 site that retained Crawford & Stearns as preservation consultant, compliance consultant, and preservation architect for the historic site development.
• Hartgen AssociatesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchaeological consulting firm that worked with Crawford & Stearns on Stage 1-B and shovel investigation at Erie House Tavern/Lock 52 site.
• University Neighborhood Preservation Association (UNPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit that managed Phase One Exterior Restoration of Gustav Stickley House and contracted with Crawford & Stearns for architectural services.
• Gustav Stickley House Foundation, Inc. (GSHF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisory non-profit pursuing fundraising for Phase 2 interior restoration of Gustav Stickley House. Working with Crawford & Stearns on concept design drawings and grant applications.
• LDS Church (History Department)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch organization that retained Crawford & Stearns for Historic Structure Report and comprehensive restoration of Joseph Smith Farm, and continues to provide professional services at multiple historic sites.
• NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic PreservationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency providing grant funding (EPF, Save America's Treasures) and regulatory oversight (SHPO approval) for numerous Crawford & Stearns projects.
• National Park ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency providing Save America's Treasures grant funding and National Register program oversight for Crawford & Stearns preservation projects.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Building Conservation Associates: NYC-based historic preservation consulting and architecture firm specializing in conditions assessments, restoration, and adaptive reuse. Directly comparable in specialty preservation consulting services.
• Walter B. Melvin Architects: Specialty preservation architecture firm providing restoration, rehabilitation, and adaptive reuse services for historic buildings including religious, civic, and residential properties. Comparable niche focus and project scale.
• Ann Beha Architects: Specialty preservation architecture firm with deep experience in historic restoration, rehabilitation, and adaptive reuse projects for cultural, civic, and religious clients. Comparable specialty focus.
• Jablonski Building Conservation: New York-based historic preservation and conservation firm providing masonry restoration, conditions assessments, and preservation consulting. Directly comparable services and regional focus.
• Integrated Conservation Contracting: Historic preservation firm specializing in exterior restoration, masonry repair, and conditions assessments for historic buildings including religious and institutional properties. Comparable specialty preservation services.
• Mesick Cohen Wilson Baker Architects: New York-based architecture firm specializing in historic preservation, restoration, and adaptive reuse of historic buildings. Closely comparable in geographic focus (Northeast US), service offering, and project types including religious and municipal clients.
• John Canning & Co. Specialty historic preservation, restoration, and conservation firm offering similar architectural and materials conservation services for historic properties, museums, and religious institutions. Directly comparable in niche focus and service mix.

Broad incumbents

• Beyer Blinder Belle Architects: Major New York architecture firm with extensive historic preservation practice, including major adaptive reuse projects. Much larger than Crawford & Stearns but operates in overlapping preservation and adaptive reuse space.
• Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates: National engineering and architecture firm with substantial historic preservation practice, providing structural and architectural preservation services. Larger and broader than Crawford & Stearns but operates in overlapping niche.

Emerging players

• Preservation Design Works: Specialty preservation architecture firm providing conditions assessments, restoration design, and historic preservation tax credit consulting. Comparable specialty focus on small-scale historic preservation work.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/crawfordstearns
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/crawford-&-stearns

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 Crawford & Stearns