LANDMARK WEST!

What LANDMARK WEST! does

Landmark West! (LW!) is a 501(c)-style non-profit organization founded in 1985 by Arlene Simon, dedicated to historic preservation, advocacy, and education focused exclusively on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The organization emerged from the WEST PRIDE community effort that challenged the redevelopment of the West Side Rail Yards and emerged in response to inappropriate development along Central Park West. Its core activities include advocacy before NYC agencies (Landmarks Preservation Commission, City Planning Commission, City Council) on certificate of appropriateness applications, zoning matters, supertall developments, and citywide proposals such as City of Yes; community education through walking tours, house tours, lectures, and book talks; youth education via the 'Keeping the Past for the Future' program with dedicated Teachers, Kids, and Middle School portals; and a research operation anchored by a searchable Building Database, Social Histories archive, and Landmarks Timeline spanning decades.

The organization's products and digital platform center on its website (landmarkwest.org), which functions as the primary hub for advocacy resources, event listings, research archives, and membership onboarding. Specialized products include the Building Database (searchable documentation of Upper West Side buildings), Advocacy Hub (resource center on zoning and landmark issues), the annual Mumford Award signature fundraising event, and educational portals for youth. Technology footprint is conventional: website-based CMS, email newsletter, social media (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram), and ticket sales via the Ticketspice platform; the site is committed to WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility. There is no disclosed proprietary technology, app, or API.

LW! operates a hybrid community-led and event-driven go-to-market model funded through three primary revenue streams: annual membership dues (subscription/recurring), ticketed event revenue from walking tours, house tours, and lectures (transactional), and donations and corporate sponsorships for events such as the Mumford Award (contribution-based). Membership provides event discounts and free access to recorded program videos. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors with an Executive Committee led by Co-Chairs Kara Kelly and Carlo Lamagna; paid staff of approximately 4 people (Executive Director Sean Khorsandi, Director of Preservation and Research Megan Fitzpatrick, Preservation Associate Becca Bran, Education Specialist Emily Da Silva Prado) is supplemented by an extensive volunteer network and pro-bono professional contributors.

Name

LANDMARK WEST!

Legal name

Landmark West!

Website

https://landmarkwest.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Landmark West! is a 1985-founded non-profit that advocates for historic preservation, zoning oversight, and architectural education focused exclusively on Manhattan's Upper West Side, serving local residents, architecture enthusiasts, and youth through membership dues, walking tours, research archives, and regulatory advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Historic Preservation Advocacy

NAICS

Historical Sites (71212)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAHAE

Historic Preservation & Landmarks Conservation

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

SECONDARYTHAJAAAC

Museum & Landmark Guided Tours (Skip-the-line/Docent-led)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Guided Tours (City, Cultural & Historical)

SECONDARYTHAJADAI

Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Museums, Galleries & Cultural Institutions

Keywords

• Historic preservation advocacy
• Landmark designation support
• Architectural walking tours
• Community education programs
• Cultural heritage conservation

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership contributions that provide benefits including discounts on public programs and free access to video recordings of past events
2. Event Tickets and Tours: Revenue from walking tours, house tours, lectures, and other public programs. LW! members receive discounts on these programs.
3. Donations and Sponsorships: Contributions from individuals and corporate sponsors for events such as the Mumford Award celebration

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

LANDMARK WEST! is a non-profit preservation advocacy organization that protects the historic environment of Manhattan's Upper West Side through landmark designation support, zoning and development oversight, public education programs, walking tours, lectures, and a youth education curriculum. It sells annual memberships, paid public programs and tours, and accepts donations and corporate sponsorships to fund advocacy and educational activities. The organization does not sell technology products; its assets include an online Building Database and a long-running advocacy/research archive.

Product overview

LANDMARK WEST! is a non-profit organization (not a technology company) offering preservation advocacy, education, and research services for the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The organization operates several programs including the 'Keeping the Past for the Future' youth education initiative, a Building Database for research, LW! Public Programs (walking tours and events), the annual Mumford Award for urban preservation, and an Advocacy Hub for community outreach on landmark and zoning issues. These programs work together to advance the organization's mission of protecting and celebrating the Upper West Side's historic environment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Keeping the Past for the Future (Youth Education Program) An environmental stewardship and civic engagement curriculum for youth that teaches students to see their communities as historic places worth preserving, supported by dedicated Teachers Portal, Kids Portal, and Middle School Portal resources.
• Building Database
• LW! Public Programs (Walking Tours, Lectures, House Tours, Book Talks)
• LW! Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• Achieved landmark status for individual buildings and historic districts since 1985
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Triad TheaterminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 October 2025Venue sponsor for the 2nd Annual Mumford Award honoring Tony Shalhoub and Brooke Adams.
• Harlem Baking Co.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 October 2025Food sponsor for the 2nd Annual Mumford Award event.
• Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 October 2024Corporate sponsor of the 2024 Mumford Award inaugural event honoring Andrew Dolkart.
• Acker WinesminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 October 2024Wine sponsor for Mumford Award events, supporting preservation celebrations.
• Office for Metropolitan HistoryminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 October 2024Sponsor and supporter of the inaugural Mumford Award event.
• Holly Lynch ConsultingminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 October 2024Sponsor of the inaugural Mumford Award event.
• Anthony Bellov Video ProductionsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 October 2024Video production sponsor for the inaugural Mumford Award event.
• Church of St. Matthew and St. TimothyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 October 2024Venue partner for the inaugural Mumford Award ceremony at 26 West 84th Street.
• Historic Districts CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of the 2025 Mayoral Candidates Forum focused on preservation and development issues. Long-standing preservation colleague in advocacy efforts.
• Village PreservationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of preservation events including the 2025 Mayoral Candidates Forum and The Road to Harlem series. Key ally in landmark and development advocacy across NYC.
• Friends of the Upper East Side Historic DistrictscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of City of Yes events and joint preservation advocacy efforts on zoning and development issues affecting both Upper East and Upper West Sides.
• East Village Community CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of the 2025 Mayoral Candidates Forum focused on preservation and development issues.
• Lower East Side Preservation InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of the 2025 Mayoral Candidates Forum focused on preservation and development issues.
• Bowery Alliance of NeighborsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of the 2025 Mayoral Candidates Forum focused on preservation and development issues.
• Save Harlem NowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of The Road to Harlem series, exploring the history and preservation of Harlem neighborhoods.
• Merchants House MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of The Road to Harlem series, exploring the history and preservation of neighborhood histories.
• Bard Graduate CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Mumford Award events; Dr. Susan Weber, founder and director of Bard Graduate Center, honored at 2026 Mumford Award celebration.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Historic Districts Council: Citywide preservation nonprofit and close co-sponsor with LW! on mayoral forums and joint advocacy. Comparable as a peer advocacy umbrella but operates at larger geographic scope.
• Village Preservation: Manhattan-based neighborhood preservation nonprofit focused on Greenwich Village, East Village, and NoHo. Most directly comparable peer: identical preservation-advocacy model, walking tour programming, LPC engagement, and explicit LW! co-sponsorship partner.
• East Village Community Coalition: Lower East Side / East Village preservation and community coalition, co-sponsor with LW! on the 2025 Mayoral Candidates Forum. Comparable local preservation / land-use advocacy model.
• Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts: Neighborhood preservation nonprofit on the adjacent Upper East Side. Directly comparable as a co-sponsor with LW! on City of Yes advocacy and mirror-image of the UWS-specific niche model.
• Bowery Alliance of Neighbors: Lower Manhattan preservation alliance, co-sponsor with LW! on mayoral forums. Comparable small-staff, neighborhood-focused preservation and zoning advocacy.
• Lower East Side Preservation Initiative: Lower East Side preservation nonprofit and co-sponsor with LW! on the 2025 Mayoral Candidates Forum. Comparable historic-district advocacy programming and walking tour offerings.
• Save Harlem Now: Harlem-focused preservation nonprofit and co-sponsor with LW! on The Road to Harlem series. Comparable neighborhood-level historic preservation advocacy mission.

Broad incumbents

• Preservation League of New York State: Statewide preservation advocacy organization operating across New York. Comparable as a tiered preservation advocacy peer at broader geographic scope with deeper grant-funding capacity.
• New York Landmarks Conservancy: Citywide preservation nonprofit providing technical, financial, and advocacy support for historic buildings. Broader incumbent: awards venue for Lucy G. Moses Preservation Leadership Award given to LW! affiliates; operates at meaningfully larger scale.
• Municipal Art Society of New York: Citywide civic and preservation advocacy organization with much larger staff and budget. Comparable as the dominant incumbent voice on LPC, zoning, and citywide preservation policy that LW! positions against on specific neighborhood issues.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LandmarkWest
• Facebookfacebook.com/landmark.west
• Instagraminstagram.com/landmarkwest
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/landmark-west-

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 LANDMARK WEST!