What’s in a name?
For residents at one West Palm Beach, Florida apartment complex, the Trump name represented way more drama and notoriety than they were interested in. Which is why the condo formerly known as Trump Plaza has been renamed The Plaza.
Tenants at the dual-tower complex on the Intracoastal Waterway, with condos that sell for between $1-4 million, voted for the renaming shortly after the Jan. 6 Insurrection. The Condo board had already sent out an email advising that a name change would be beneficial to protecting property values, a sign that the Trump brand name was toxic. Jeff Barr, the head of the condo association said his neighbors wanted no part of the constant controversy surrounding the former president.
“The residents preferred a name for the condo that was generic, low-key and didn’t attract attention of any kind. Our original name of ‘The Plaza’ filled that need.”
The Plaza was the condo’s original name when it was built back in the 1980s. Trump borrowed millions to buy it shortly after and renamed it, according to USA Today, but when his fortunes took a steep drop in 1991, he was forced to turn it over to creditors. The Trump name remained on the buildings, mainly because residents at the time thought it gave the building a higher profile, especially with overseas buyers who might recognize the brand.
But all that changed once he became president and became surrounded by controversy. Residents reportedly were tired of being associated with the polarizing Trump, to the point that last year, they voted not to replace Trump Plaza signs atop the building (you can see the sign in an older photo up top). The signs had been removed for repairs, but residents weren’t interested in paying money to put the Trump name back on their condo.
The West Palm Beach complex isn’t the only one to want to erase any connection to the Trump brand. Owners in two “Trump Place” buildings on Manhattan’s Upper West Side voted to remove the Trump name from their buildings’ exteriors during his presidency.