Evelyn Cole Smith Architects LLC is a design firm specializing in the study, preservation and adaptive reuse of historic and culturally-significant properties.

  • Recognizing that each project is unique, we assemble a team of experts including architects, engineers, planners, landscape architects, historic preservation craftsman, community engagement specialists and others who are dedicated to preserving New England’s historic landmarks and enriching the character of our cities and towns.

Principal Architect, Evelyn Cole Smith, a certified Historic Architect with the Connecticut State Historic Preservation Office qualifying as such under the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards.

  • With over 30 years of experience assisting private property owners, institutions and municipalities to assess existing conditions, prioritize goals, and develop maintenance strategies for their historic structures. Under her direction, we conduct conditions assessments and feasibility studies, research funding sources and tax incentives, prepare National Register nominations and grant applications, evaluate site and building conditions, develop plans for restoration and ongoing maintenance, design context-sensitive repairs, upgrades and additions, and provide oversight and quality control during construction and preservation efforts.

Evelyn Cole Smith Architects provides a full range of architectural services from programming and conceptual design through the development of construction documents, provision of bidding assistance, and construction administration. 

  • We often work on projects funded by public entities and are familiar with the procurement and project management procedures required.

Respecting the environment and designing spaces that enrich and enhance our lives is the main objective of our practice.

  • We understand that project success is assured by actively listening to our clients in order to develop a clear understanding of project goals and objectives. As is evident from our portfolio, thoughtful consideration of context is integral to each design resulting in a balanced whole.

Evelyn Cole Smith Architects, LLC is a registered Women Owned Small Business.

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About the Principal

For three decades Evelyn Cole Smith has practiced architecture, designing residential, commercial and institutional spaces that stimulate our individual and collective senses and enhance our lives. Firmly rooted in an undergraduate degree in Sociology, her practice reflects a keen understanding of community, context and the creation of a sense of place. Her architectural education, with a concentration on the imperatives of energy efficient design, has informed design strategies particularly with regard to passive solar initiatives. A deep appreciation for the historic structures that enrich our communities naturally led Ms. Smith to focus her architectural practice on historic preservation, integrating the principals of sustainability and historic preservation.

After earning her Master of Architecture degree from the University of Colorado in 1983, Ms. Smith spent the first five years of her practice with the Boston architectural firm of E. Verner Johnson and Associates, Inc.

  • Boston Museum of Science
  • Smithsonian Institution museums in Washington, DC

Ms. Smith started her own architectural firm Evelyn Cole Smith, Architect, in Woodstock, CT. In 2003 she joined CME as Director of Architecture.

With focus on historic preservation and community development, Ms. Smith serves as the principal architect at Evelyn Cole Smith Architects, LLC. Throughout her professional career, Ms. Smith has listened intently to her clients so as to effectively balance programmatic needs, aesthetic preferences, building code requirements and budget constraints. Active participation that reinforces her commitment to enhancing our communities includes participation on the

  • Woodstock Historic District and Historic Properties Commissions
  • Woodstock Open Space Land Acquisition and Farmland Preservation Commission
  • Quasset (1848) School Advisory Committee
  • Board of Advisors, Hale YMCA in Putnam
  • Chamberlin Mill, Inc. Board.
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Services

  • Existing Conditions Assessment examine historic properties detailing observations in a comprehensive report.
  • Capital Needs Assessments direct efforts and funds in a methodical approach aimed at maximizing the properties integrity into the future.
  • Preventative Maintenance Plans identify actions appropriate to preserving historic structures.
  • National Register Nominations document significant historic properties for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
  • Historic Documentation of endangered properties to National Park Service standards.
  • New Construction for commercial and institutional projects.
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Contact

ECSA continues its focus on historic preservation of New Englands most treasured buildings.  Should your project require that focus, this form will be the most reliable method of contact.  Please leave a detailed message and we will connect as soon as possible.

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