Very knowledgeable - Rob is so knowledgeable about the history of nyc and these very special properties called holdouts. He enables us to see our cherished city in a new way.

Great fun, if you love architecture a definite must do! - We did - Recreate the Most Popular Walking Tour of 1840 and essentially it is a SoHo Tour taking you through how the city evolved and people moved further and... read more further north leaving some great architecture behind, lots of history and you’ll get a great understanding of NYC and how it evolved with families like the Astor’s driving history. Robert Amell was a great guide, not just informative but engaging, you’ve got to try one of his tours!

Rob's tour was a highlight of our visit to New York, an immersion into the history, architecture and even topography of the city along its most famous original thoroughfare, Broadway.... read more We'll never again look at Manhattan in the same way. Rob was an extremely well-informed, gracious and accommodating host, and we're truly grateful for the experience. We look forward to exploring more of the city with him on our next visit.

An eye opening tour! - My brother and I were the only ones on the tour as the corona virus was just taking hold in NYC. We are both native New Yorkers. However,... read more Rob showed us midtown in another light. His knowledge of the transitioning of neighborhoods and the architecture left behind was fascinating. Truly an interesting tour to develop an appreciation of Manhattan architecture and open your eyes to the details of buildings that tell the history of the neighborhoods.

Excellent and Informative Tour - Walked around the lower east side, 5 points, and china town area for 2 hours, listening to the guide point out the history of the buildings and the evolution of... read more the immigrants and tenements from the 1840's until today. Was able to actually go into an old tenement and see its construction. Highly recommend this for history buffs and architecture buffs

Amazing tour of the history of New York’s tenements - Rob is an expert on the history of the tenements and immigration of the 1800’s and up. I live in New York and learn so many new things, the tour... read more was the best we have done. Highly recommend.

This guide is amazing  - Rob Amell is extraordinary. He’s a real student of Manhattan’s history, architecture, culture and quirkiness. I’d recommend this tour for those who already have a grounding in NYC... read more history but crave more—all hiding in plain sight. Rob’s research is unique and thorough and could/should be his next book. We’ve already recommended him to friends who will appreciate and value his intellectual curiosity and fun approach to NY

Fantastic tour by a fabulous tour guide- thank you! - Rob is a fountain of enthusiasm and information- he knows more about NYC architecture and history than anyone I have ever met- and he loves constantly reading and learning. Anyone... read more doing this tour will be rewarded and realize just how lucky they are- highly recommended!

Wonderful! - We had such a great time!! Our guide was so extremely knowledable and we learned so much!!

Thank you!!

Wonderful tour!! - We were visiting NYC with friends and found this tour. Rob was a phenomenal resource and we couldn't have enjoyed our experience more! We learned so much about the... read more immigrant history and housing. We would definitely take another tour with Rob. Thanks for a wonderful NYC experience!

This guy knows his stuff and NYC comes alive with him!  - You think you’ve seen it all in Midtown! Well, we were wrong and you’ll be surprised too. The art, the history, the intrigues to get structures built, the... read more families behind it all .Rob knows it all and shares it with enthusiasm and a sense of the awe and fun of NYC. The three hours raced by and we decided to take two more tours with him with our remaining two days in the City. Best use of our time we could have hoped for.
He’s a scholar with a gift for connecting dots not unlike Robert Caro. In fact, if Rob writes a book about NYC history, you’ll want to read that too?

My wife and I (and our small dog) went on the recreated sights of the 1840s walk with Robert on a cold New York day. Nonetheless, despite the weather, we... read more were both enthralled by the tour and the incredible knowledge Robert shared about the various landmarks of New York and how they have changed over the years. Robert is an accomplished author and historian and I seriously doubt that more than a handful of people would know as much about the history of New York as he does. Highly recommend the tour and we hope to go on another when we next have the opportunity.

Manhattan UnLocked-Robert Amell-Superb! - We were amazed at the knowledge that Robert Amell shared with us. He was well organized and well-versed on the history of housing in New York City. He answered our... read more many questions and was very gracious to spend so much time with us. Our eyes were opened and we want to know even more now. His tour was far beyond our expectations. Plus Mr. Amell was friendly and knew little spots tucked in along the way where we seniors could stop for a bathroom break or an egg cream. If you are interested in history, take this tour. We really enjoyed it.

Great way to spend the morning  - Rob was exceptional. His knowledge of the area and its history was amazing. Learned so much. He is personable, friendly and has a total command of the... read more facts regarding this area. We will definitely do more walking tours in the future. A great way to spend a morning in NYC

Great tour  - An excellent tour guide, very knowledgeable and personable! Opened our eyes to much that we had just walked by in mid-twon in the past.

Great Tour and Guide - Rob was very knowledgeable and provided us with a great tour. The history/background of the upper West Side added to the experience.

Unique angle on NYC, guided by a master  - Who knew? Maybe you’ve seen a small building crammed between two skyscrapers and wondered what went wrong. In fact, these “ holdout” owners and buildings have unique histories... read more and often, powerful purposes. For example, have you ever heard of a “lightsaver?” Not the candy, a short building that doesn’t block the sunlight of the apartments on the side of a very tall structure. Or the charm and pride of small businesses built by families who don’t want to give them up. The stories are many and all interesting.

Rob Amell’s meticulous research has uncovered their histories and secrets, and the trip is worth it!

This tour is not for first time visitors to our City but for those from NYC and away who love the uniqueness of our town. Rob is a master and he should write books about is work. His tours are 3 hours but zoom by. Highly recommend.

Super Informative Look at the History of Low Income Housing in NYC/Lower East Side - Robert was great, giving us a terrific perspective of the history of low income housing in the Lower East Side, and the succession of immigrant populations who passed through there.... read more His binder of charts and pictures he shared with us as we walked was very helpful, as we saw how things changed over the years legally, architecturally, and geographically. Would definitely recommend for someone with a serious interest in the socio-economic and political history of the area. We also did two tours out of the Tenement Museum, and there was enough variation between the three that we didn't feel like it was too redundant. My wife and I were the only ones on the tour that day, and he was extremely easy to talk to, and took us on a few diversions because of our unique questions and interests.