Trump Palace

200 East 69th Street | also 1175 3rd Avenue | Lenox Hill | built 1950

Open on the map7 entries

Written with AI from the source each entry cites, then fact-checked.

  1. 1958

    The Foundling leaves its Victorian complex for a modern headquarters at 1175 Third Avenue

    The Foundling's hospitals were closed in 1945 and 1946. In 1958 it gave up its grand Victorian complex on 68th Street for a new, modern headquarters directly across from it, at 1175 Third Avenue, which is also an address of the lot where Trump Palace now stands. The old full-block Victorian site was replaced in 1960 by the white brick Imperial House apartments.

    Source: Village Preservation

  2. 1985

    Donald Trump buys the Foundling Hospital site as community groups try to stop a high-rise

    Businessman Donald Trump bought the property of the New York Foundling Hospital in 1985. Before the sale, community groups had lobbied city agencies to prevent a high-rise from rising on the site, without success. They later also tried and failed to have the tower's height reduced, though Trump had initially planned a larger building and dropped a five-screen movie theater from the plans.

    Source: Wikipedia

  3. 1987

    Fred Trump puts $15.5 million into the East 69th Street tower

    In 1987 Fred Trump, Donald Trump's father, put $15.5 million into the project at the former Foundling Hospital site. In 1991 he sold those shares to his son for $10,000, which the article describes as an apparent disguised gift that avoided the 55 percent gift tax.

    “In 1987, Trump's father, Fred Trump, invested $15.5 million in the project, but in 1991 sold these shares to Donald for $10,000…”

    Source: Wikipedia

  4. 1989

    April

    Construction of Trump Palace begins at a planned cost of $185 million

    Work began in April 1989, with completion planned for 1991. Community groups tried without success to have the 623-foot height reduced, although Trump had first planned a larger building for the site. He also dropped a planned five-screen movie theater from the property.

    Source: Wikipedia

  5. 1991

    Trump Palace is completed as a 54-story granite tower that the Times calls a 1980s hangover

    Construction began in April 1989 at a planned cost of $185 million, and the 623-foot tower was completed in 1991. Architect Frank Williams designed it in granite to recall Art Deco towers of the 1920s and 1930s, with low-rise shops and townhouses and a small plaza at the base as zoning required. The New York Times review praised its brick-and-glass tower but called it more a hangover from the 1980s than a homage.

    Source: Wikipedia

  6. 2017

    June 5

    An owner asks Trump Palace neighbors to drop the Trump name from the building

    A June 5, 2017 6sqft report said Laurence Weiss, a former Goldman Sachs partner who had owned a 3,600-square-foot unit since 2003, had sent 260 letters proposing to rename the building "200 E 68th St. Condominium." Changing the name needed two-thirds of owners. Of 56 replies, 32 favored the change and 24 opposed it, and Weiss said he was embarrassed to be linked to Trump.

    Source: 6sqft

  7. 2018

    January

    Weiss sells his Trump Palace apartment for $7.4 million, less than half his first ask

    A January 4, 2018 6sqft report, citing The Real Deal, said Laurence Weiss had sold his four-bedroom unit for $7.4 million after asking $15 million and later $8.9 million. He had bought it in 2003 for $6 million, so he still came out ahead. The Trump name stayed on the building, and Keith Olbermann had also sold his unit there at a $400,000 loss.

    Source: 6sqft

Further reading

Nearby

All 31 buildings with stories in Lenox Hill