Strata in former Trump-branded tower pushes for removal of giant signs

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The six-foot-tall shiny chrome letters that spell out the name of the former president of the United States on West Georgia Street are still, somewhat unbelievably, in place.

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It has been more than a year since the company that operated the Trump International Hotel in Vancouver and authorized the use of the Trump brand, filed for bankruptcy and closed its doors in August 2020.

Now, in recent months, the strata council of privately owned luxury apartment condo units in the tower has been pressuring Holborn Properties, which owns the building, to finally remove Trump’s signage.

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There have been controversies and calls against the giant signage dating back to when the 69-story luxury hotel opened in 2017 amid protests against the election of US President Donald Trump.

At the time, the strata even voted to hedge against the negative risk linked to the Trump brand by increasing their insurance coverage against terrorism.

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Since then, the list of voices calling for Trump’s name to be removed from one of the tallest and prominently located downtown buildings has included former mayors, councilors, chief planners, construction workers, marketing professors, planners. urban, activists and others, not to mention many ordinary citizens.

Minutes of the June 2021 meeting obtained by Postmedia said that “the strata council requested the removal of the large TRUMP signage from the West Georgia entrance.”

“The current bankruptcy is still in effect and some of the TRUMP-related brands, at the West Georgia Street level, have begun to be phased out; namely the Spa By Ivanka signage on the front of the hotel doors. A meeting with the parties associated with the hotel is expected in the fall, as the rebranding and reopening of the closed hotel and related facilities is expected to occur in the new year, ”said the minutes of the meeting of the strata council. August 2021.

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In September, Holborn CEO Joo Kim Tiah and other executives met with the strata council, in person, “acknowledging that he had concerns about the brand and current state of the hotel’s ownership and any potential reopening plans. “, according to the minutes of the meeting of strata. .

This part of the meeting was held “behind closed doors”, so there are not too many new details recorded in the meeting notes.

However, priority action items left in writing included keeping residents updated on “news about new or returning tenants … (and) the branding and any signage removal associated with the former Trump hotel entity.”

The sign at 1161 West Georgia was built and installed in accordance with the City’s sign statute and a permit is required to install a new or replacement sign, depending on the city.

A spokesperson said the sign is for the entire building and while the hotel is closed, residences are open and the city has not received a request to remove or replace the existing sign.

When asked this week if or when Trump’s big letters will be withdrawn, Joo Kim Tiah told Postmedia that she “cannot comment at this time.”