Robert L. Wilson, 1934-2009, was born in Tampa FL and earned an MS in architecture, urban design and planning from Columbia University. In 1975 he was a founder of the New York Coalition of Black Architects. In the American Institute of Architects, he served as President of the Connecticut Society of Architects and as national Vice President. Regarding required minority participation in the design of works under various public programs, Wilson refused to accept an inconspicuous minor role, and took on only commissions where his was the lead firm.

According to an article in Architectural Record magazine, Wilson's role in Bayview Towers project in Stamford, CT extended beyond the usual commission and involved persuading a local corporation to provide seed money for planning as paper work for funding was undertaken. The same article reports that he had similarly raised seed money for another (80-unit) apartment tower in Stamford, completed in 1972.