When Landmark Services was born in 1991, the idea was simple. Mark Landry wanted to renovate and restore the buildings that people mentioned when giving directions.
- “Take a left at the old saltbox.”
- “ It’s two doors down from that gorgeous Victorian.”
- “Right next to the Unitarian church.”
Special buildings. Landmark buildings.
The truth is that not every building can be a historic landmark, and we’ve built some new homes that would certainly still pass the “directions” test. But if you look at our portfolio, you can tell at a glance that someone really cared about each structure. Sometimes the love that went into the original building had been hidden by the passage of time and neglect, but they were built to be special places.
A house doesn’t have to be beautiful. In the end, its principal job is to keep the rain out, the warmth in, and its inhabitants safe as they rest, and eat, and refresh their spirits after the day’s effort. No, a building doesn’t have to be beautiful. But it can be. A home can be an example of the very best craftsmanship. An expression of your highest hopes. An inspiration to your community. At its highest and best, it is all of these.
When Mark signed himself up for his first post-graduate courses in historic preservation over two decades ago, it was a major departure from the pre-med path he had been on. Before long, he had tracked down a reputable local builder and convinced him to let a young guy with not much experience join the crew to get hands-on exposure to the concepts he was exploring in academia. As he tells it now: He was hooked. And Landmark Services was born.
Over the next decade, he honed his craft. Buildings were lifted up and put down on new foundations. Historic exteriors were painstakingly restored to their original glory. Awards were won, magazine articles were written. Gradually, as so often happens, he found he was swinging a hammer less, managing teams more, and working every day to help a growing number of clients and architects realize their dream of living with historic charm and modern convenience.
Fortunately, Mark had also gradually surrounded himself with a team of like-minded craftsmen, vendors, and support staff. He and his team continued to attract clients who shared their love of historic structures and who found — sometimes to their surprise — that they had partnered with a builder who not only made the restoration process enjoyable, but also fun. A number of those clients are now friends.
At Landmark Services we are grateful every day to be doing something we love, and we look forward to seeing what the next 20 years has in store!
