By Leslie Albrecht
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer — Who says Valentine's Day has to celebrate love between people?
Upper West Side preservation group Landmark West! is asking lovers to declare their feelings for the buildings in their lives with a month-long photo project called "Love Your Landmark."
Upper West Siders pose with a sign that reads "I (heart) This Landmark" in front of their most beloved buildings, then submit their photos to Landmark West!
Entries collected so far include Lincoln Center, Bethesda Terrace in Central Park and the 1904 Ansonia Hotel.
People can visit official landmarks such as The Dakota or The Ansonia, but they're also encouraged to shower their love on buildings that have personal meaning, said Cristiana Pena, director of community outreach at Landmark West!.
"It doesn't necessarily have to be a recognized New York City landmark," Pena said. "It could be the coffee shop where you go every morning to have a bite to eat."
She added, "Who knows, someone could take a picture of an interesting building or site that’s been an unknown treasure."
The results are posted on the Landmark West! blog.
If the photo includes an official city landmark, the picture will be added to Landmark West!'s buildings database, an online collection of information about the Upper West Side's historic buildings.
The Love Your Landmarks project was inspired by a similar effort by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. People posed in front of sites that were important to them holding signs that said "This place matters."
To download a "I (heart) This Landmark" sign, click here.
