Colin M. Caplan was born and raised in the City of New Haven, Connecticut. He developed an early appreciation for architecture and history. Colin studied at Tulane University graduating with a Master’s degree in architecture. Returning to New Haven he worked with an affordable housing developer and assisted in restoring over fifty historic blighted houses for first-time homebuyers. Colin has worked as an Architect/Intern and Project Manager with six architecture firms in New Haven and has developed relationships with many people across the community.

As part of the International Festival of Arts & Ideas in 2003, Colin organized a symposium on the controversial fate of the Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum. Architects, professors, planners, engineers, artists, preservationists and city officials participated in this groundbreaking event. The symposium gained a lot of support and its success led to a second symposium in 2004 through the Alliance for Architecture, where Colin led as chairperson for a number of years.

In 2006 Colin started the firm Magrisso Forte to design around and preserve historical properties and educate people about the region’s history and development. The firm specializes in preservation and adaptive reuse for all types of properties. Many of the design projects include building façade reconstruction, additions and restorations. The firm also manages collections of archive photography of New Haven and Connecticut viewable on the firm’s website and available for reproduction. Colin has authored numerous nominations for Historic Register, written histories on homes, businesses, neighborhoods and individuals. Colin regularly leads historic walking tours through New Haven neighborhoods for festival, organizations and private parties.

Colin has become an accomplished published author. In 2006 he wrote his first book on New Haven history called New Haven (Then & Now) which compared photos taken over a span of eighty years from the same vantage point. His next book came out in 2007 and is titled A Guide to Historic New Haven, CT which includes twenty seven walking, biking and driving tours of the city. 101 Glimpses of New Haven, a fascinating captioned image book, came out in 2008 and Westville, Tales from a Connecticut Hamlet, documenting the history of the Westville section of New Haven, came out in 2009. He has appeared on national television shows, news programs and he has been written about in newspapers and magazines including US Airways Magazine and The New York Times.

Colin has embraced his role in the community. He served on the board of directors of the New Haven Preservations Trust and the Elm City Parks Conservancy. Colin was awarded the 2008 Arts Award by the Arts Council of Greater New Haven for his work in the preservation and architectural community. He is an active Justice of the Peace and has officiated four marriage ceremonies. Colin owns a circa 1750 Colonial house on Blake Street in New Haven where he has made many historic discoveries. After moving to Santa Monica, California for over a year he lead culinary and historic walking tours for Six Taste Food Tours.

Colin returned to his hometown where he started Taste of New Haven, Food and Drink Tours to take advantage of New Haven's unique food and culture. The tours offer customers a unique and up close venue to sample the best and most flavorful cuisine New Haven has to offer. Tours lead the adventurous food and drink lovers on six different tours through Westville, East Rock and Downtown.