美国国家公共电台 NPR Judge Sides With Residents Who Want Trump's Name Off Their NYC Building

 

MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

If you drive on the West Side Highway in Manhattan, you cannot help but notice Trump¹ Place looming² over the skyline. It is one of several buildings in New York bearing Donald Trump's name. Well, tomorrow, residents will ask a judge to let them change their building's name. NPR's Jim Zarroli reports on how the Trump brand is losing its luster³ in the city he's from.

JIM ZARROLI, BYLINE⁴: A dozen years ago, James Tufenkian noticed a really nice building going up in his neighborhood on Manhattan's East Side. He went inside and loved what he saw. Just about the only thing he didn't like was the name - Trump World Tower.

JAMES TUFENKIAN: It was kind of detestable (laughter). You know, even at that time, I didn't like the idea of being in a building with his name on it, but it didn't have nearly the significance that it does now.

ZARROLI: Tufenkian, who heads a carpet company, still lives in the building. And he loves it - great staff, nice views, very well-managed. He just doesn't like that name.

TUFENKIAN: But look, I have lots of people - I have to explain to everybody who comes to visit me that I'm sorry about the name on the building. You know, just that I live there doesn't constitute any kind of endorsement⁵.

ZARROLI: President Trump doesn't own Trump World Tower, but his company manages it. And, of course, it bears his name. And there are signs that name has become something of a liability. That is also true at Trump's signature property, Trump Tower, where the president and his family have long lived.

Jonathan Miller⁶, who runs an appraisal⁷ firm in New York, says there are a lot of newer luxury buildings in the city, and they've eclipsed Trump Tower.

JONATHAN MILLER: It's no longer the top tier of the market because this new product has changed all that.

ZARROLI: And he says the intense security at the building since the election probably discourages some buyers.

MILLER: That has the potential to impact values in the building.

ZARROLI: But even in other Trump buildings where security isn't an issue, Trump's unpopularity may be hurting property values. The online brokerage firm Zumper compared rents in Trump buildings to others in the city. They found that in most cases, Trump apartments sat on the market longer and fetched lower prices.

Managing broker⁸ Nathan Tondow says if an apartment is a good deal, even with the Trump name, people will still want to live in it. But the name does matter.

NATHAN TONDOW: We've had rental⁹ clients who didn't want to see buildings because they did have a Trump name on them. And we try to explain that it is owned by someone else. It's just the Trump name. And then they said, I know, but walking into that everyday just feels wrong.

ZARROLI: Real estate prices have softened¹⁰ in New York, especially at the high end, so that may be a factor in what's happening. But some buildings clearly see Trump's name as a liability. Trump properties in Canada and Panama have rebranded themselves. In New York, the Trump Soho is now the Dominick. Three Upper West Side buildings have dropped the Trump name.

And tomorrow, a condo building at 200 Riverside Blvd. will ask a judge for the right to do so as well. The building's lawyer declined to comment. Elizabeth Holub, who lives in Trump Place, says the irony¹¹ is it's a really nice place to live.

ELIZABETH HOLUB: The truth of the matter is that it is - look, I can't stand Donald Trump. I'm sorry. He's the president. I don't support his policies. The reality is it's the best run building.

ZARROLI: The building is managed by the Trump Organization, which opposes the name change. Eric Trump has said the effort is being spearheaded by a few rogue¹² residents, but a straw poll in the building suggests most residents support the change.

President Trump spent years building up his brand, but for some people in the city where he grew rich, that brand has become toxic¹³. Jim Zarroli, NPR News, New York.

1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望

3 luster   

n.光辉；光泽，光亮；荣誉

参考例句：

• His great books have added luster to the university where he teaches.他的巨著给他任教的大学增了光。
• Mercerization enhances dyeability and luster of cotton materials.丝光处理扩大棉纤维的染色能力，增加纤维的光泽。

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 endorsement   

n.背书；赞成，认可，担保；签(注)，批注

参考例句：

• We are happy to give the product our full endorsement.我们很高兴给予该产品完全的认可。
• His presidential campaign won endorsement from several celebrities.他参加总统竞选得到一些社会名流的支持。

6 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

7 appraisal   

n.对…作出的评价；评价，鉴定，评估

参考例句：

• What's your appraisal of the situation?你对局势是如何评估的？
• We need to make a proper appraisal of his work.对于他的工作我们需要做出适当的评价。

8 broker   

n.中间人，经纪人；v.作为中间人来安排

参考例句：

• He baited the broker by promises of higher commissions.他答应给更高的佣金来引诱那位经纪人。
• I'm a real estate broker.我是不动产经纪人。

9 rental   

n.租赁，出租，出租业

参考例句：

• The yearly rental of her house is 2400 yuan.她这房子年租金是2400元。
• We can organise car rental from Chicago O'Hare Airport.我们可以安排提供从芝加哥奥黑尔机场出发的租车服务。

10 softened   

（使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰

参考例句：

• His smile softened slightly. 他的微笑稍柔和了些。
• The ice cream softened and began to melt. 冰淇淋开始变软并开始融化。

11 irony   

n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄

参考例句：

• She said to him with slight irony.她略带嘲讽地对他说。
• In her voice we could sense a certain tinge of irony.从她的声音里我们可以感到某种讥讽的意味。

12 rogue   

n.流氓；v.游手好闲

参考例句：

• The little rogue had his grandpa's glasses on.这淘气鬼带上了他祖父的眼镜。
• They defined him as a rogue.他们确定他为骗子。

13 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。