Manhattan condo building removes ‘Trump Place’ name

A New York City condominium had the name “Trump Place” officially removed from its exterior on Thursday. 

Video posted on Twitter showed workers beginning to remove the letters from the 46-story condominium in Manhattan’s Upper West Side on Thursday morning. 

And the removal has begun at 200 Riverside Boulevard… #1010WINS pic.twitter.com/OFDZrpPu5T

— Sonia Rincón (@SoniaRincon) October 18, 2018

The move comes after nearly 70 percent of the owners in the 377-unit tower voted for President Trump’s name to be removed, according to The Associated Press.

The news outlet noted that the owners were worried that Trump’s name on the building would affect its resale value and security. 

{mosads}The name’s removal also marks the culmination of an effort that began in 2016 during Trump’s campaign for the presidency, BuzzFeed News reported. Almost exactly two years ago, according to the outlet, residents began a petition to have Trump’s name removed.

The New York Times also noted that Trump’s lawyers became ensnared in a legal battle with the condo owners over the condominium’s licensing agreement.

But a judge ruled in May that the owners were not required to “use the identification ‘Trump’ on the facade of the premises” and that the Trump Organization was wrong to contend that they were contractually obligated.

The condo’s board estimated that it would cost about $23,000 to strip the letters from the building and wash the facade, according to the Times. The condominium had reportedly purchased the rights to use Trump’s name in 2000.