Title: Donald Trump’s Unauthorized Clock at Trump Tower Causes Dispute with New York City
Subtitle: City officials demand retroactive payment or removal of the ornamental clock that has occupied a public sidewalk for over a decade.
Date: [Current Date]
New York City’s Department of Transportation (DOT) has found itself embroiled in a dispute with the Trump Organization over an unauthorized ornamental clock that has been standing on a public sidewalk in front of Trump Tower for more than a dozen years. The clock, standing at 16 feet tall and made of aluminum with gold and black accents, features four faces, each bearing the surname of its owner, Donald J. Trump.
According to city regulations, property owners must obtain permission, called revocable consent, from the DOT to place street furniture on sidewalks. This includes a wide range of structures, from signs and benches to filigreed lampposts and delivery ramps. However, the clock at Trump Tower was installed without permission or a permit, and the city is now seeking payment for its occupation of the public sidewalk.
The fees for revocable consent vary depending on the structure. For example, the owners of the Commodore Hotel, adjacent to Grand Central Terminal and renovated by Mr. Trump into the Grand Hyatt, have been billed around $300,000 annually due to their mezzanine-level restaurant protruding over the sidewalk on East 42nd Street. In contrast, a 10-year permit for a stand-alone sidewalk clock typically costs only $300 per year.
The Transportation Department, responsible for overseeing public space across all five boroughs, acknowledged that it is challenging to keep track of all structures on sidewalks in a city as vast as New York. Scott Gastel, a spokesman for the department, explained that there are approximately 12,000 miles of sidewalk in the city and about 1,100 active revocable consents. He noted that many property owners do follow the rules, but some structures appear without the department’s knowledge.
The city’s attention towards the unauthorized Trump Tower clock was prompted by an inquiry from The New York Times in 2015 during their research on street furniture. The Transportation Department ordered the Trump Organization to remove the clock within 30 days, but negotiations ensued regarding relocation and the placement of concrete planters that bordered the building.
However, with Mr. Trump becoming the Republican nominee and subsequently being elected as President, security concerns took precedence over resolving the clock’s permit issues. The clock was allowed to stay, even after Mr. Trump left office earlier this year.
Last November, The New York Times filed a Freedom of Information Act request for communications related to the clock. The city’s response, received in May, revealed only inconclusive letters regarding the 2015 permit application.
On July 19, the Transportation Department sent a letter to the Trump Organization, reminding them of the 2015 notification regarding unauthorized structures at 725 Fifth Avenue. The letter emphasized that the clock and planters must be removed within 30 days or else the organization may face a lien on its property.
Alternatively, the Trump Organization can reapply for a permit and complete the process by July 19, 2024, one day after the Republican National Convention, for which Mr. Trump hopes to be nominated. The city has not demanded retroactive payment for the unauthorized structure, as no permit was ever applied for or issued.
The Trump Organization has indicated that it is willing to work with the city to address any missing paperwork and restart the application process. Kimberly Benza, a spokeswoman for the Trump Organization, stated that the clock has been a hallmark of Trump Tower for nearly 20 years.
While the fate of the clock remains uncertain, the dispute highlights the complexities involved in managing public space and enforcing regulations in a bustling city like New York. As the clock continues to quietly tick away, residents and tourists alike eagerly await a resolution that will determine its future on the city sidewalk.