Howard L. Zimmerman’s path to creating one of New York City’s most trusted architectural firms began in Stuyvesant Town on the Lower East Side. Inspired by the idealism of the fictional architect in Ayn Rand’s novel The Fountainhead, who champions the design of buildings with great artistic integrity, Howard pursued an architectural education, earning a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Urban Landscaping from The City College of New York. He later won a scholarship that enabled him to earn a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He returned to New York in the mid-1970s, when the city was in deep economic distress and architectural firms were not hiring. Determined not to abandon his professional ambitions, in 1978 he began to build his experience and reputation as an independent architect working on small renovation projects and driving a taxi at first to make ends meet. Then, as now, he believed that long-term success was well worth short-term sacrifice.

Since 1982, when he founded Howard L. Zimmerman Architects & Engineers, D.P.C., Howard has dedicated himself to delivering not only the highest quality Architectural and Engineering services, but also developing and maintaining long-term client relationships built on a foundation of mutual trust and respect. To that end, he has organized a professional team of excellent architects, engineers, and technical specialists who share his belief in the importance of serving clients to the best of their ability, and better than any competitor.

In addition to leading the firm, Howard has deep ties to the New York City community, especially the Lower East Side. He is on the Board of Trustees of The Educational Alliance (an affiliate of the UJA Federation of New York) and the 14th Street Y, and provides pro-bono services to the facilities team at the Tenement Museum. His professional affiliations include the American Institute of Architects, the Association of Building Owners, the Building Owners and Managers Association, the Metropolitan Business Network, and the Construction Specifications Institute. Howard has served as an Adjunct Professor at the City College School of Architecture and The New School, and has served as a guest lecturer at New York University’s Real Estate Institute. He is a Registered Architect in the states of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C. and holds a certificate from the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) that pre-qualifies him to be registered in all 50 states.

In 2017, the American Institute of Architects elevated Howard to the College of Fellows, the highest honor to be bestowed upon an architect within the profession.