Will we soon see buildings around the city marked with gold foot-high letters declaring “Trump Jr.”?
Two Trumps the Donald himself and his, son, Donald Trump Jr. played host to a crowd of brokers and others during an open house recently at the nearly completed Trump Park Avenue, formerly the Delmonico Hotel.
Trump s latest project, at 502 Park Ave. and 59th Street, also the marks the first development in which Don, 25, has been a major part.
“My son wanted to use the word “Jr.” on the outside of the building,” Trump told a gathering of 150 or so invited to preview an $18 million apartment, “because its been so successful. But I said you can t do that.”
Prices at the building, which Trump said was 35 percent sold as of last month, range from $800,000 to $30 million. The $18 million apartment on the 21st floor that was being previewed included six bedrooms and 7,500 square feet of space.
Don, who got his undergraduate degree from Wharton (like his dad) and did some work at Trump Place, said he was eager to take on the conversion of the Delmonico, acknowledging that pre-war retrofitting is not a typical Trump approach.
“The project is almost un-Trump-like,” he said. “But the quality is Trump-like.”
The building is 32 stories, and the top two floors have been combined to create a duplex that will sell for $30 million. The unit has two large balconies, facing north and west, that provide supposedly spectacular views of Central Park and the George Washington Bridge, in an area not usually known for views. “You re getting the Park Avenue location and views,” Don said.
While the elder Trump stayed true to the prewar feel of the building nickel faucets instead of brass – Don said the developer couldn t resist one characteristic touch. Two seven-story modern looking curtain walls add 2,000 square feet of space on the north and west side of the building. “It s a little bit of a Trump touch,” he said. The building has a total of 140 units.
While Don said he favors “setting up initial deals” rather than sales, Trump sales director Laura Cordovano pointed out that “he s a natural.” Don s next project will be an enormous mixed-use plan that his father is planning in Chicago that was announced in September. The 2.4 million square-foot, 90-story building will include 326 condos, a 174-room hotel, 350,000 square feet of office space and first-floor retail space. It is planned for a site in the heart of downtown along the Chicago River currently occupied by the Chicago Sun-Times.
Back at the Trump Park Avenue, the elder Trump announced that brokers who sell $10 million worth of apartments there get to spend a weekend with Trump at his Palm Beach compound, Mar-a-Lago.
Trump also held a drawing for a member of the crowd to “spend a weekend with the legendary Donald Trump.” The prize was won by Corcoran CEO Pam Liebman. No word on when she ll be taking the Donald up on his offer.