Anthony W. Robins

Anthony W. Robins Email and Phone Number

Architectural historian and historic preservation consultant. Author, lecturer, walking tour leader. @ Columbia University
Anthony W. Robins's Location
New York, New York, United States, United States
Anthony W. Robins's Contact Details

Anthony W. Robins work email

Anthony W. Robins personal email

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About Anthony W. Robins

I've devoted my professional life to the protection of New York City's landmarks and to education about the city's history and architecture. During a 20-year stint at the New York Landmarks Commission, I wrote, edited or supervised hundreds of research and survey reports, while advising Commissioners on preservation policy. Since then, as a consultant, I've prepared dozens of National Register nominations (including four sizable historic districts: Wall Street, the Garment District, Murray Hill and East Harlem). In a parallel career, I've written articles and books, and taught, lectured and led walking tours, all on the subject of New York's built environment. Books include "Classics of American Architecture: The World Trade Center" (Omnigraphics, 1987; 2d edition, 2012);"Subway Style" (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2004); "Grand Central Terminal: 100 Years of a New York Landmark" (Abrams, 2013); and, most recently, "New York Art Deco: A Guide To Gotham's Jazz Age Architecture (SUNY Press, 2017).Teaching includes Pratt Institute, Williams College, New York University, and Columbia University.Specialties: National Register eligibility determinations and nominations, building histories, surveys, architectural and historical documentation, applications for government grants to fund restoration projects, historic preservation easements. Tours, lectures, articles and books on New York City history and architecture.For more information: www.AnthonyWRobins.comEmail: trob@pipeline.com

Anthony W. Robins's Current Company Details
Columbia University

Columbia University

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Architectural historian and historic preservation consultant. Author, lecturer, walking tour leader.
Anthony W. Robins Work Experience Details
  • Thompson & Columbus, Inc.
    Co-Owner, Director Of Preservation Services And Educational Programming
    Thompson & Columbus, Inc. 1998 - Present
    New York City
    • Research consultant and advisor on historic preservation issues. Services include preparation of National Register nominations and applications for government grants to fund restoration projects. • Lecturer and guide. Lectures on and tours of New York's remarkable architecture and history - with special attention to (and affection for) the city's Art Deco wonders.• Author and editor. Books, articles, public history installations and exhibition texts on New York City history, architecture and historic preservation, geared to an intelligent lay audience.
  • Columbia University
    Adjunct Professor
    Columbia University May 2010 - Present
    New York City
    Teach a class on the architecture and development of New York City for the Columbia U. summer session. Students range from undergrads to mid-career professionals doing M.A. degrees - and they bring a terrific range of perspectives to our exploration of the city's neighborhoods and buildings! Looking forward to teaching it again in 2016.
  • New York Preservation Archive Project
    Board Member
    New York Preservation Archive Project Jun 2013 - Present
    New York City
    NYPAP (yes, nobody really likes the acronym) is collecting the history of New York's preservation movement even as the preservation movement attempts to collect New York's history. (Also: live long enough, and you become living history....)
  • New York University
    Adjunct Professor
    New York University 1995 - Present
    New York City
    Every year, I lead NYU (School of Professional Studies) classes with walks throughout the city, focusing on neighborhoods, history and architecture.
  • New York University
    Adjunct Professor
    New York University Jan 2017 - May 2017
    Greater New York City Area
    Taught a seminar, "Case Studies in Historic Preservation," in the Urban Design and Architecture Studies section of the Department of Art History.
  • Municipal Art Society Of New York
    Seminar Leader
    Municipal Art Society Of New York 1986 - Present
    New York City
    Teach "If These Walls Could Talk," an annual seminar (formerly called "Urban Genealogy") that attracts building owners, preservation advocates, architects, engineers, lawyers, and landmarks commissioners (and, once, even a New York City detective) who want to learn how to research the history of New York buildings. The seminar has always covered dusty city offices and musty archives and libraries, but now is updated every year to take account of the amazing new resources constantly coming on-line.
  • Art Deco Society Of New York
    Vice-President
    Art Deco Society Of New York 1984 - Present
    New York City
    As a founding member (more or less) of the Art Deco Society of New York (ADSNY), I created the Society's walking tour program, and currently lead the tour committee - as well as leading tours for them several times a year.
  • New York Transit Museum
    Consultant Writer And Historian
    New York Transit Museum Oct 2014 - Mar 2015
    New York City
    Conceived, researched, and wrote the text for the exhibition "New York's Transportation Landmarks," on view at the Transit Museum's annex at Grand Central Terminal. Part of the year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of New York City's Landmarks Law.
  • New York State Council On The Humanities
    Featured Speaker
    New York State Council On The Humanities 1995 - 2015
    New York City
    As a "featured speaker" in the Council's "Speakers in the Humanities" program, I gave illustrated lectures about New York City architecture for non-profit educational organizations (for the most part, schools and libraries) around New York State. Most recent topics: 1) Behind the Bright Lights: The Great Broadway Theaters, 2) Art Deco Metropolis: From the Chrysler Building to the Grand Concourse, 3) Why So High: The Saga of the World's Tallest Buildings, and a new one, 4) Grand Central Terminal: 100 Years of a New York Landmark, based on the new book of the same title. The Council has discontinued the program, but is replacing it with a new one - stay tuned.
  • Victorian Society New York
    Member, Board Of Directors
    Victorian Society New York May 2011 - Jun 2013
    New York City
    Preservation Committee, Newsletter Committee.
  • Williams College
    Adjunct Professor
    Williams College Jan 2007 - May 2008
    New York City
    Taught a seminar, "Street Smarts," on the urban environment of New York City, for "Williams-In-New-York," a junior-year semester abroad program. It was wonderful to watch these students discover their own personal versions of New York, and grow into potential New Yorkers.
  • Alliance For Downtown New York
    Consultant Writer And Historian
    Alliance For Downtown New York 1997 - 2008
    New York City
    In 1996, '97 and '98, the Alliance sponsored four "Downtown Open House" events - inviting all and sundry to visit the financial district for inside looks at a dozen sites not normally open to the public - and hired me to write a self-guided tour-brochure for each event. The first time, we thought perhaps 500 people would show up - but came the day, more than 10,000 people descended on the financial district. These events turned into amazing happenings - thousands of New Yorkers waiting patiently in line for peeks inside the banks and exchanges and private clubs of Wall Street tycoons.Since then, the Alliance has commissioned me to write or edit annual reports, brochures, web site text, and a variety of other materials.
  • New York Transit Museum
    Consultant Writer, Editor And Historian
    New York Transit Museum Oct 2003 - Jun 2004
    New York City
    To mark the 100th anniversary of the 1904 opening of the IRT - New York City's first subway line - the Transit Museum put together an exhibition and book called "Subway Style." Brought in as a consultant to edit both, I ended up re-researching and rewriting most of the text. Without doubt, one of the most fun projects I've ever worked on. The book won a "New York City Book Award" from the New York Society Library.
  • Heritage Trails Sitemarkers
    Consultant Writer And Historian
    Heritage Trails Sitemarkers 1995 - 1998
    New York City
    I researched and wrote the texts for 45 large sidewalk site-markers (plus an accompanying small guidebook) in the Downtown/Wall Street district. These sitemarkers, New York's answer to Boston's "Liberty Trail,"are all still standing - including the sitemarker for the destroyed World Trade Center - and I update them every couple of years (for the Alliance for Downtown New York, which now maintains them).
  • New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (Lpc)
    Director Of Survey, Formerly Deputy Director Of Research
    New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (Lpc) 1979 - 1998
    New York City
    During two decades at the Landmarks Commission, I wrote, edited or supervised the preparation of hundreds of historic reports, while tending a staff of half a dozen professional historians. I also developed presentations on such policy issues as the economics of preservation, the preservation of sites from the recent past, and the preservation of sites more significant for their history than their architecture. And I drafted reports, articles for publication in professional journals, and speeches for the Chairman and other city officials (including Deputy Mayors and the Mayor) on landmarks-related topics. Most rewarding was the opportunity to help shape agency policy in areas where the Commission had not yet set precedents. Major projects included charting the approach used to designate the city’s surviving early 20th-century Broadway theaters; developing the strategy for addressing the remaining undesignated historic sites in the Wall Street district; and proposing appropriate historic district boundaries for industrial areas, planned suburbs, and extensive Victorian-era residential districts. Most fun was getting to know the five boroughs inside and out (including the best local eateries).
  • Friends Of Cast-Iron Architecture
    Co-Chairman Of Walking Tours
    Friends Of Cast-Iron Architecture 1976 - 1980
    New York City
    Straight out of graduate school, I became one of countless volunteers corralled by the (late) legendary Margot Gayle, for whom I stuffed flyers into envelopes, delivered awards to bemused building owners, and led walks through SoHo, TriBeCa, Ladies Mile and Williamsburg. Promoted to co-chairman of tours, I coordinated the walks, prepared itineraries, and recruited and trained guides. It was quite an education - and my introduction to the world of historic preservation.

Anthony W. Robins Skills

History Historic Preservation Editing Museums Architectural History Research Nonprofits Public Speaking Newsletters Archival Research Art Grant Writing Books Writing Urban Planning Art History Publishing Archives Publications Teaching Blogging Community Outreach Museum Collections Speech Writing Fundraising Lecturing Adult Education Tourism Walking Tours Book Writing Guided Tours Cultural Heritage Higher Education Art Deco Copy Editing Creative Writing Volunteer Management Grand Central Terminal Landmarks Magazine Articles Report Writing Press Releases Museum Education Community Development New York City World Trade Center Art Exhibitions Curating Newspaper Articles Writing Books

Anthony W. Robins Education Details

Frequently Asked Questions about Anthony W. Robins

What company does Anthony W. Robins work for?

Anthony W. Robins works for Columbia University

What is Anthony W. Robins's role at the current company?

Anthony W. Robins's current role is Architectural historian and historic preservation consultant. Author, lecturer, walking tour leader..

What is Anthony W. Robins's email address?

Anthony W. Robins's email address is tr****@****ine.com

What schools did Anthony W. Robins attend?

Anthony W. Robins attended Courtauld Institute Of Art, U. Of London, Williams College, Smith College, Horace Mann School.

What skills is Anthony W. Robins known for?

Anthony W. Robins has skills like History, Historic Preservation, Editing, Museums, Architectural History, Research, Nonprofits, Public Speaking, Newsletters, Archival Research, Art, Grant Writing.

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