MAF Grants and Awards

David Evans Memorial
DAVID EVANS, FAIA 1948-1998
Old Wayne County Building, Detroit, MI Lansing Capitol, Lansing, MI Bentley Historical Library The oldest known photograph of the Detroit Observatory. (1858) Patricia S. Whitesell David helping to hoist the newly restored, 1857 Henry Fitz refracting telescope tube back into its mount. D.C. Goings The UM Detroit Observatory as it looks today following its restoration.	The spirit of  lives on in the many buildings that he has helped to restore across Michigan. His presence is felt in dozens of small towns and a few important urban centers where his meticulously restored monuments stand. David earned his Masters of Architecture with High Distinction from the University of Michigan. He began his career with two pioneering preservation architectural firms. He spent two years with Kessler Associates under Edward Francis, FAIA followed by eight years at Preservation Urban Design with Richard Frank, FAIA. He and Michael Quinn, FAIA left PU/D in 1984 to set up their own firm, Quinn Evans|Architects, in Ann Arbor and Washington, DC. Under David's direction, the firm developed an expertise in preserving and adapting historic buildings. Many are historically important and highly recognizable at the state and national level. His larger contribution may well be in the many vernacular buildings in small towns that he has carefully restored. These buildings, dotted across the heart land of the mid-west, have often led to the revitalization of whole areas. His portfolio includes churches, schools, theaters, light houses, homes and at least two state capitol buildings, Michigan and Idaho. Many of these projects received awards for their design. The Michigan Capitol Restoration earned a national level award from The American Institute of Architects. David was made a member of the College of Fellows of The American Institute of Architects in 1997. Only 2,000 architects, out of the 58,000 members of the Institute, are entitled to use FAIA after their names. He was a teacher at the University of Michigan School of Architecture and at Eastern Michigan University. He was also a frequent lecturer at meetings of state and national preservation organizations. He also helped many community groups untangle the maze of bureaucracy often required to prepare and submit grant applications for funds. He was president of the Michigan Historic Preservation Review Board and a member and treasurer of Historic Preservation Network.