Branching Out
Is there a photo of Trump that would show how he branched out of the business built by his father and grandfather? It has to be this one! This photo of Trump shows him after the New York Board of Estimate gave him the go signal to purchase and refurbish the Commodore Hotel in Manhattan. Many would agree that this move set the precedence for Trump’s real estate business! It is not going to be all that accurate to say that he ventured out by himself. He got a $70 million construction loan with his father and the Hyatt Hotel chain as the guarantors. Donald Trump can claim that he is a self-made man as much as he wants, but it would be fairer to say that he continued the success of the family instead.
Branching Out
Trump Tower Completion
In the same year that the takeover of the Commodore Hotel was finalized, New York City also approved his rights to build Trump Tower in Manhattan. To finish it, he reportedly hired undocumented Polish workers for the demolition of the Bonwit Teller flagship store. The building was originally marked by the city for preservation thanks to its gorgeous art deco features. The construction of Trump Tower took 4 years. The last spaces were finally opened in November 1983. These days, you will find commercial and residential spaces in the building. The most famous ones are, of course, the Trump Organization HQ and the penthouse owned by the POTUS himself.
Trump Tower Completion