Turf Wars by Steven Robinson(Reading)
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Review –
Steven Robinson’s Turf War is a gripping insider’s tale of how a determined group of West Side New Yorkers took on Donald Trump’s colossal “Television City” project and won. The book follows Robinson’s journey from a concerned architect to a central figure in a coalition that stopped one of the most audacious development plans in Manhattan history. Through vivid recollections and meticulous documentation, Robinson recounts how grassroots activism, strategic alliances, and sheer stubbornness transformed a juggernaut real estate deal into a civic victory. In the end, the behemoth of glass and steel Trump envisioned gave way to a more community-friendly development known as Riverside South, which now borders a public park instead of a concrete wall.
Reading this book felt personal and political at once. The writing is honest and conversational, grounded in emotion without being dramatic. Robinson’s passion for community and place bursts off the page. I found myself rooting for these scrappy neighbors like they were underdogs in a sports movie. At times, the architectural details and legal strategies got a bit dense, but they never lost their heart. This isn’t a technical manual, it’s a love letter to people power, written by someone who clearly believes in cities built for people, not just profit. The way Trump’s arrogance jumps off the page is both maddening and oddly compelling.
What I loved most was Robinson’s ability to connect the dots between his childhood memories of Brooklyn turf wars and this modern battle over land and dignity. He captures the stakes without preaching. He’s not trying to be the hero here, which makes the story land even harder. The portraits of the neighborhood activists are warm and real, people with day jobs and kids and messy lives who still chose to throw down when their home was threatened. I was genuinely moved. This book isn’t slick. It’s earnest and grounded. And in today’s world, that feels rare and refreshing.
Turf War is a must-read for anyone who cares about cities, power, and the stories behind the skylines. It’s especially relevant for urban planners, architects, activists, or frankly, anyone who’s ever shouted at a bulldozer or sat through a zoning meeting. If you’ve ever felt small in the face of big money, this book will remind you just how mighty community can be.
Rating: 5
Thank you,
Thomas Anderson
Editor In Chief
Literary Titan
About the Author: Steven Robinson has been an award-winning architect, a land-use planner, community activist, and writer in New York and New Mexico since 1985. His buildings and public space designs in urban and rural landscapes have served private clients, academic institutions, and native communities. He was a founder of Westpride, the grassroots nonprofit that initiated the defeat of Donald Trump’s overwhelming proposal for Manhattan’s West Side and was a designer on the ensuing civic-oriented master plan, the buildings, and the riverfront park for that site. In New Mexico, Mr. Robinson has served as the founding president of the nonprofit which revitalized the nationally acclaimed downtown Santa Fe Railyard. He has been a featured speaker at the National Trust for Historic Preservation and taught at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. Mr. Robinson received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania and earned a Master of Architecture degree from Yale University. He lives in New Mexico.
Steven Robinson’s Turf War is a gripping insider’s tale of how a determined group of West Side New Yorkers took on Donald Trump’s colossal “Television City” project and won. The book follows Robinson’s journey from a concerned architect to a central figure in a coalition that stopped one of the most audacious development plans in Manhattan history. Through vivid recollections and meticulous documentation, Robinson recounts how grassroots activism, strategic alliances, and sheer stubbornness transformed a juggernaut real estate deal into a civic victory. In the end, the behemoth of glass and steel Trump envisioned gave way to a more community-friendly development known as Riverside South, which now borders a public park instead of a concrete wall.
Reading this book felt personal and political at once. The writing is honest and conversational, grounded in emotion without being dramatic. Robinson’s passion for community and place bursts off the page. I found myself rooting for these scrappy neighbors like they were underdogs in a sports movie. At times, the architectural details and legal strategies got a bit dense, but they never lost their heart. This isn’t a technical manual, it’s a love letter to people power, written by someone who clearly believes in cities built for people, not just profit. The way Trump’s arrogance jumps off the page is both maddening and oddly compelling.
What I loved most was Robinson’s ability to connect the dots between his childhood memories of Brooklyn turf wars and this modern battle over land and dignity. He captures the stakes without preaching. He’s not trying to be the hero here, which makes the story land even harder. The portraits of the neighborhood activists are warm and real, people with day jobs and kids and messy lives who still chose to throw down when their home was threatened. I was genuinely moved. This book isn’t slick. It’s earnest and grounded. And in today’s world, that feels rare and refreshing.
Turf War is a must-read for anyone who cares about cities, power, and the stories behind the skylines. It’s especially relevant for urban planners, architects, activists, or frankly, anyone who’s ever shouted at a bulldozer or sat through a zoning meeting. If you’ve ever felt small in the face of big money, this book will remind you just how mighty community can be.
Rating: 5
Thank you,
Thomas Anderson
Editor In Chief
Literary Titan
About the Author: Steven Robinson has been an award-winning architect, a land-use planner, community activist, and writer in New York and New Mexico since 1985. His buildings and public space designs in urban and rural landscapes have served private clients, academic institutions, and native communities. He was a founder of Westpride, the grassroots nonprofit that initiated the defeat of Donald Trump’s overwhelming proposal for Manhattan’s West Side and was a designer on the ensuing civic-oriented master plan, the buildings, and the riverfront park for that site. In New Mexico, Mr. Robinson has served as the founding president of the nonprofit which revitalized the nationally acclaimed downtown Santa Fe Railyard. He has been a featured speaker at the National Trust for Historic Preservation and taught at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. Mr. Robinson received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania and earned a Master of Architecture degree from Yale University. He lives in New Mexico.
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