Trump to turn Old Post Office into luxury hotel [View all]

[yellowcanine]

By Jonathan O’Connell, Published: February 7

Donald J. Trump is getting a Pennsylvania Avenue address in Washington, it just won’t be 1600.

The federal government announced Tuesday that the New York real estate magnate’s hotel company has been selected to turn Washington’s Old Post Office Pavilion into a luxury getaway.

Built in the 1890s, the Old Post Office is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of the tallest buildings in the city, with a distinctive clock tower. Although it remains home to a smattering of federal offices and tourist-oriented retail stores and restaurants, the building has seen better days. It loses more than $6 million annually and became a target of federal officials looking to sell or lease underused government buildings.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/trump-to-turn-old-post-office-into-luxury-hotel/2012/02/07/gIQAlS9gxQ_story.html


This seriously pisses me off. This is a grand old building and Trump is going to be allowed to put one of his garish monstrosities in it. I know that part of DC needs economic development but is there no room for economic development with good taste? So just because the building has been mismanaged and is losing money we let muskrat head do his thing with it?
Highest and best use my foot. This is a national treasure. Do we have to commercialize everything?