Celebrating William Brown ’66 B.Arch, 2023 CAPLA Alumnus of the Year
Wilbur Wildcat and Bill Brown enjoy a University of Arizona baseball game.
Though William (Bill) Brown passed away in July 2022 at his home in Houston, Texas, his legacy will live on at the College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture and the University of Arizona far into the future.
William Brown '66 B Arch.
Brown came to UArizona from Midland, Texas on scholarship to play baseball, but he also loved design and committed himself to the Bachelor of Architecture, a rigorous five-year professional undergraduate program. Never one to shy away from a challenge, or a learning opportunity, he prospered in what was then the College of Architecture and was part of the one of the first cohorts known as the “Safeway Class” because their studio was in the old Safeway Building. As a four-year letterman who played first base, Brown also led the top-ranked Wildcats to the College World Series in his junior year and served as team captain as a senior.
But he often liked to say that his “most important pursuit in college” was winning the love of his life, Nan Doubet, a fellow UArizona student from Peoria, Illinois. They were married in August 1965.
Bill Brown, captain of the 1966 University of Arizona baseball team.
Brown graduated in May 1966, and in 1971, after returning to Houston and earning his Master of Architecture from Rice University, he became a licensed architect. After practicing with a design firm for a brief time, Brown’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to launch The Brownstone Group, a development and construction company. Over his 50-year career, he participated in the design, development and construction of nearly 20,000 housing units across eight states, with a particular focus on multifamily properties that embody beauty, sustainability and accessibility.
Brown’s leadership and care for community are evident in his commitment to family. He has recounted how Nan, who passed away in 2021, was the “breadwinner” during several downturns and recessions. Her UArizona degree in education and her commitment to teaching provided the support that their family needed to grow what would become a highly successful business. The couple had three sons—Jed, Doak and Wil—who, beginning in 2005, became an integral part of the leadership of Brownstone Group.
Nan Doubet and Bill Brown during their UArizona undergraduate days.
Brown was also an avid outdoorsman and aviator, logging many hours in his Bonanza and vintage 1948 Stinson tail dragger.
A loyal UArizona alumnus, Brown created a scholarship for student-athletes enrolled in the B.Arch program, knowing how difficult it is to succeed in the program as a student-athlete. He also led the charge on creating one of our largest scholarships, the Safeway Scholarship for Architecture students. Brown also supported CAPLA’s acclaimed Design/Build and Master of Real Estate Development programs. His generosity extended across campus, as well, by creating a College of Education scholarship in honor of Nan.
Beyond his financial gifts, Brown was always ready to support and advise CAPLA students and cheer on the Wildcats during his visits to Tucson.
In honor of his remarkable career and his dedicated support, the Arizona Alumni Association is proud to name William Brown the 2023 Alumnus of the Year for the College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture.
Photos courtesy Jed Brown.
