From the Press
Book Reviews
Subway Style
“…a succinct and wryly amusing text that relates subway developments to other cultural happenings and isn’t too proud to explain specialized terms. It’s the kind of book that makes the evolution of turnstiles sound fascinating….”
Classics of American Architecture: The World Trade Center
“Mr. Robins’s collection [of original documents] evokes this same spirit and adds a rich dimension to trade center history.”
— David Dunlap, “New Glimpses of the Twin Towers’ Past,” New York Times
Grand Central Terminal:100 Years of a New York Landmark
“This February, NYC’s Transit Museum is celebrating the 100 year anniversary of a national landmark, The Grand Central Terminal. To kick it off, they’ve published a stunning hardcover book entitled Grand Central Terminal: 100 Years of a New York Landmark. The book is thoroughly researched and reads like a library of design, lifestyles, art and trivia that even New Yorkers don’t know.”
— NY Arts – the international guide to the art world
Various
“In the last decade, apartment buildings have been putting together increasingly ambitious histories, some extensively researched and hard-bound with photographs. But it is difficult to find anything as accomplished as the one prepared by the architectural historian Anthony W. Robins for the Hotel Albert, the 1882 apartment house at University Place and 11th Street.”
— Christopher Gray, “Streetscapes: The Albert Hotel Addresses Its Myths, on the history of the Hotel Albert, a Greenwich Village institution that housed, at various times, writers, artists and musicians, as well as political radicals.
“An excellent text by Anthony Robins”
— Herbert Muschamp, “Critic’s Notebook; Cass Gilbert And the City Eclectic,” New York Times, on the Downtown Open House self-guided tour booklet devoted to Cass Gilbert buildings, sponsored by the Alliance for Downtown New York.
Lectures and Tours
“And if you happen to see a walking tour coming your way under the confident leadership of a man in a Bailey Dalton safari hat — well, that’s Mr. Robins.”
— David Dunlap, “New Glimpses of the Twin Towers’ Past,” New York Times
“Anthony, with his wide brim hat, fast-talking New York accent and contagious enthusiasm… [showed me that] the very real and iconic New York terminal is the magical place to be discovered…. In the four years I have lived in New York I must have walked through Grand Central Terminal more than a dozen times…. It wasn’t until Anthony was at the helm, escorting me back through history, introducing me to all the important characters that designed it, funded it and fought hard to restore it during a landmark movement of the 1970s (including Jacqueline Onassis) taking it all the way to the Supreme Court, that I realised this iconic building was so much more than a grand train station.”
— Shannon O’Meara, Mail Online
“Nearly 50 members of the Foreign Press Association recently turned out for a presentation about the history of Lower Manhattan hosted by New York City historian and architectural expert Tony Robins…. Members who attended the event represented publications from as far away as Nigeria, Japan, Israel, Uruguay, Germany and Poland – to name a few…. ‘It’s exciting to learn about the history and architecture of the Downtown Financial District,’ Gisiger [Chris Gisiger, U.S. editor of the Zurich-based Finanz und Wirtschaft] said.’Robins really brought the history to life.’ …Robins delivered a visually compelling presentation, with highlights of the neighborhood’s nearly 400-year-old history.”
— Members of the Foreign Press Association, New York Condo Blog
Anthony Robins’s “art and architecture of the New York subway” tour is one of “The 5 Best Art Walks In New York”
“Mr. Robins presented a brisk [and] highly entertaining historical slide tour of Broadway’s early days.”
— Entertainment Insider
Testimonials
From clients and participants in tour and lecture programs
“Anthony’s wonderful walking tour of Grand Central station was elucidating, witty and revelatory. His command and deep knowledge of the architectural history, urban planning, and the city’s changing demographic always closely intertwined with the city politics brought fresh perspectives to the talk. To think that the city came close to losing such a cherished landmark is amazing now that it is such a destination and cultural focal point. I would strongly recommend such a tour and look forward to uncovering more layers of the city’s history with Anthony again.”
—Program participant
“I took a private walking tour of the SoHo with Tony and had a marvelous time. We learned all about the neighborhood’s architectural history, and Tony was an expert historian and entertaining story-teller. He was very flexible and open to questions about buildings not on the “official” tour, but the official tour was thoughtfully planned to help us understand the chronological history of the area and its architecture. I’ll never see the neighborhood the same way again.”
—Deputy Editor at Slate Magazine
“I had the pleasure of attending Tony’s public Art Deco architectural tour a couple of years ago. It was so good that in my most recent visit to NYC I decided to splurge for a more personalized private tour for just a small group of friends. It was worth every penny. Tony gave a whirlwind 3-hour tour of Grand Central Terminal, the Daily News Building, the Ford Foundation, Tudor City, and the Chrysler Building. It was a magnificent insight to the history of the city and how it came to be the bustling metropolis that it is today. Tony is truly fantastic! He has an encyclopedic knowledge of all things architectural in the Big Apple. Even better, he knows the full cast of titans who made it all happen so that the history lesson was both informative and entertaining. If you are visiting NYC and have even the slightest interest in architecture you would be doing yourself a terrible disservice by not hiring Tony to show you around.”
—Program participant
“Tony provided a series of architectural tours and lectures over the course of three days for a group visiting New York. His background with the landmarks commission makes him eminently qualified in the subject matter, but what is equally impressive is his irrepressible enthusiasm and a pitch-perfect delivery of information. He is a New Yorker who loves his city, and it shows. He also enjoys talking to and with people — he’s extremely approachable and personable — and that makes him a winner. Last of all, he is tireless and perseveres as a lecturer even after four or five hours of talking in the rain, through Times Square crowds, and midtown traffic. His commentary will resonate for me and others on future trips to New York.”
—Meg MacDonald, Travel Muse
“My friends and I recently visited New York City and were eager to see the Art Deco architecture. We lucked out in hiring Tony as our guide. Tony brings a wealth of expertise to the subject matter and he infuses his stories with delight and enthusiasm. The morning of the tour was bitterly cold but we were so engrossed in the fascinating history and the beauty of the place that we hardly noticed. My friend’s young nephew was so inspired that he went to the Lego store afterward and built his own Art Deco skyscraper! Can’t wait to come back to NY and try another tour of Tony’s!
—Program participant
“I have been meaning to write to you for a while to thank you for your contribution to our September tour. The clients’ comments were glowing. I particularly like ‘An absolute winner and so infectiously enthusiastic.’”
—British tour operator
“Your program last Thursday at The National Arts Club was bewitching, as evidenced by the rapt assembly. The magic carpet ride through Art Deco New York was breathtaking, and earned countless compliments (not to mention a high rating on the ooooh-and-aaaah meter). Bravo!”
—National Arts Club
“I was informed and entertained all at once! The audience response was one of complete enthusiasm for you and the subject matter.”
—Librarian, New York Public Library
“Your leader, Tony Robins, was very knowledgeable and really passed his enthusiasm on to both of us. We literally look at buildings differently now.”
—Program participant
“With his effortless congeniality and immense knowledge, Mr. Robins transported us back to the late twenties, putting us in the conference rooms, design studios and taverns where the architects of the day, Hood and Kahn and the others, conceived Midtown’s architectural destiny. Mr. Robins enlightened in a manner never approaching highfalutin but rather with a welcome tinge of awe and appreciation.”
—Program participant
“…a great success thanks to your insight and knowledge of our city. I have received so many nice cards (not standard evaluation forms, but cards – pretty ones at that), thanking everyone involved for a terrific program.”
—Special Project Director, Programs for Senior Fulbright Fellows
“Thank you for another very successful walking tour. Our audience can’t seem to get enough and all the feedback, as usual, was glowing.”
—Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum
“…enlightening and enjoyable lecture on Art Deco. It was the talk of the Library the following day — everyone loved it!”
—Librarian, Chappaqua Public Library
