W. Side tower can dump Trump name – judge

RESIDENTS OF a Trump-branded condo tower on the Upper West Side have the right to remove the President’s name from their building, a judge ruled Thursday.

Justice Eileen Bransten found that 200 Riverside Blvd. is under no legal obligation to keep Trump’s name on the facade.

While residents of that building, named Trump Place, had inked a licensing deal allowing them to use the President’s name, the agreement doesn’t require them to do so.

“The court declines to accept the defendant’s assertion that the parties are required to continue the use of the identification ‘Trump’ in perpetuity,” Bransten said.

Building residents, concerned the Trump name could lower their property values, voted 158 to 59 in February 2017 to take the name down.

After receiving a letter described as “threatening” from the Trump Organization’s lawyer, however, they did not move forward with the sign’s removal.

The residents filed a lawsuit in Manhattan Supreme Court asking a judge to declare their licensing agreement with Trump doesn’t require displaying his name in prominent letters on the outside of the building.

In making her decision, Bransten said the agreement relates “only to the affirmative use” of Trump’s name.

Bransten also made clear that her decision relates specifically to the licensing contract — not other potential legal problems, voting matters for example, involving signage disputes.

“The court is not providing any declaration that tomorrow plaintiff may remove the Trump name from the building facade without fear or threat of being sued,” she said while reading from her 12-page ruling.

Lawrence Rosen, who represented Trump’s company in court, said he will review Bransten’s decision.

“Obviously, we think that she got it wrong, but we respect it,” Rosen said.

He insisted there are certain “governance protocols” residents must follow to legally scrub Trump signage — namely, that a “supermajority” of more than 66% would have to vote in favor of removal.

Buildings in Toronto and Panama City both have dumped the Trump name in the last year.