Did Trump put sprinklers in his Trump Tower penthouse?
22
The 4$ sprinklers are a metaphor for the too many souls whose lives depend upon the judgement of the powerful only to find their fates in a cost/benefit analysis that does not properly value human life.
86
Amen.
12
It is my depression that this statement was made when laws were being changed, and requests for grandfathering were being asked.
2
Trump fought the law that would have demanded sprinklers be installed and he was let off the hook when other buildings were updated with sprinkler systems. You notice he never mentioned that someone died only that his building was grand.
4
I wonder if Trump's apt. has sprinklers?? !!
26
Michael Cohen, Trump’s attorney (Stormy Daniels) contacted 42nd story resident, Donald Shields, and told him to get out.
Michael Cohen to the rescue...right? Again.
24
Isn't this the second fire in the trump building this year?
Considering trump's New York reputation, I wouldn't be surprised if he cut corners that he shouldn't have just to save a few bucks.
41
Ah, but he tweeted that the fire hadn't spread because it was such a well-built building.
Imagine boasting about your business when (1) you are president of the United States and (2) someone just died in your building.
22
$4/sq ft is a minimal cost in the scale of values of apartments in the area of Trump Tower.
Do we know what floor the fire was REALLY on? Didn't Trump add 10 or 15 fake floors to supposed height of Trump Tower?
26
A Fox News anchor, breaking news on the incident, reported that while the fire was on the 50th floor, Trump Tower has over 200 floors. I had to rewind a few times to make sure I'd heard her correctly. Yes, "over 200 floors". Sigh.
My sincere condolences to Mr. Brassner's family and friends.
4
Trump "adds" 10 or so floors to all their buildings, so you just subtract 10 floors to figure out where an apt. really is. They say this apt was on 50th floor,so I assume it was really on 40th.
3
Trump Tower has 58 floors.
Sad, and not surprising that a Trump Tower apt is a serious albatross.
That said, I don't feel we really know what happened with this man...
nor the nature of his long illness, other than the psychological condition.
Was his death during the fire caused by the fire itself?
(Did he die from either smoke inhalation and/or burns?
Or did he just happen to die then from something unrelated...?)
And did the symptoms of his underlying illness prevent him from walking out of the apartment, regardless of whether or not there was flame + smoke?
(Or was he actually trapped by the fire itself?)
From this account, it's unclear to me.
But whatever the case, may he rest in peace.
33
Don't ya just love Trumps response tweet: "...Very confined. Well built building. ..." His heart is always in the right place.
121
Seriously could th man have said anything right? I doubt it, not with public opinion the way it is.
5
Wouldn't it be wonderful if Mr Trump and his heart could be transplanted to some other venue, possibly on another planet?
2
There's a good reason public opinion is the way it is.
3
Not trying to per se defend Trump here but I will say 3 things.
1. You don’t just pass a fire code regulation and sprinkler systems magically appear in your building. Even in a city full of well-intentioned landlords and coop / condo boards it takes decades to install sprinkler systems and the speed / cost of implementation is often impacted by available street water pressure.
2. The fact that this fire was contained to a single apartment is a testament to quality of the constructed fire-resistance rated construction assemblies, fire alarm system and (of course) fire department personnel. As reported in the papers, building basically performed its job as dictated by the building and fire codes under which it was designed and constructed.
3. My guess is that fair number of commenters live in single family homes that they own outright, in which they would also quickly perish in a fire of similar intensity. I wonder how many are going out today to have residential sprinklers installed the their homes. Building codes in your jurisdiction may not require them but no one is stopping you, and yes…fire departments also love and strongly recommend residential sprinklers for single family homes…regardless of code requirements.
96
I'd be interested in hearing from condo or co-op board members for this building as well as other buildings of similar make and age - about their experiences with retrofitting sprinklers etc.
4
I love it when well educated people make smart and accurate comments.
3
Finally, some sanity among among the lunacy. I hope you have a thick hide, and I’m sorry for all those who feel they must attack you.
4
I was somewhat shocked to learn that New York City does not require that all buildings have water sprinklers in every room/apartment for fire control and tenant's safety. Was the building designed this way in order to save money for the owner?
10
Apparently sprinklers were not required at the time this fireproofed building was built.
4
NYC, especially Manhattan is notorious for being wholly landlord-based, i.e. landlords can get away with just about anything and have all of the cards and nothing happens to them. If you try to take them to housing court, your name goes onto an unofficial blacklist and then no one will ever rent to you again. To say nothing of the exorbitant rents charged for what amount to tenements.
7
it wasn't required back then.
1
President Trump's first comments regarding the fire and the death of Mr. Brassner stated how well constructed the building was, thus,showing the self-centered narcissist that he is. No mention of, or sympathy, for Mr. Brassner. Trump is an embarrassment to those of us who expect some sign of compassion from our presidents.
166
the word compassion is not in Trumps lexicon.
10
The list of DT travesties grows...
4
"The apartment was so cluttered Mr. Brassner could barely move..."
Sounds like a fire trap.
3
"The apartment was so cluttered Mr. Brassner could barely move, Mr. Pivar said.”
Another “hoarder.” Appears that he was descending further into mental illness.
This newspaper had a superb essay in 2013 in the “Health” section that spoke about hoarders. How people who ended up never leaving their apartments and then were found dead in places so filled with “possessions that the Fire Department had trouble extricating the person’s body.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/28/health/understanding-hoarding.html
Once thought to be OCD (Obsessive Compulsion Disorder) now considered to be major depressive disorder. There was even a TV show that delved into the lives of hoarders--usually showing impoverished folks.
Mental illness affects everyone including people with expensive lifestyles. I feel badly that this man never got the help he needed.
I feel that the NY Times had NO need to delve into this man’s disorder. Anything to sell papers I guess. As a doctor I can only see horrific voyeurism.
Was it REALLY necessary to write about this man’s battle with illness? Or are we becoming so obsessed with anything “Trump” that this paper becomes seedy like the National Enquirer?
5
I do not know Mr. Brassner or his family, but what happened to him is a terrible tragedy and we should all mourn his passing, I hope there is someone to sit shiva.
It would be futile to speculate on why this fire happened, or if and how it could have been prevented, but it is a terrible tragedy that a life so filled with art, love and music should perish by itself, with no witness, in a total holocaust.
3
How can a "fireproof building" have a fire???
I will say one thing....if you live in a 2.5 million dollar apartment in a non-sprinklered buidling, get some detectors!!! The don't cost a lot.....about 30.00 bucks!
Trust ( that it's fireproof, whatever that means) but Verify ( get detector TODAY).
I can't stand Trump, but people DO have to take some responsibility. It is not clear if this poor man DID have smoke detectors he may not have heard...but it would seem obvious that fire in a high-rise could be a disaster, something especially clear to anyone who lives in Manhattan (9/11).
3
What’s with the title of this article? Are we really to believe that this guy who blew all his money multiple times couldn’t sell his apartment because it was in Trump Tower? I’m sorry but I have little pity for this guy who couldn’t get rid of his luxury apartment. Maybe it was because the apartment was so full of junk that it didn’t sell.
5
Too bad he did not rent it.
2
A brand new Lamborghini and 100 guitars is suffering? When can my suffering begin?
12
So ironic that someone who used bankruptcy to avoid paying debts and then shows up with a new sports car afterwards, should die in a building owned by someone who used the bankruptcy laws in a similar manner.
5
The article states that the apartment was extremely cluttered- sounds like a bit of a hoarder. This could have certainly contributed to his inability to sell and the fire.
3
Many commenters here have made simplistic comments to the effect of: "only $4 /square foot - how could he be such an uncaring cheapskate with tenants' lives".
For a number of years I worked in commercial real estate finance in Manhattan. In the 1970's and 80's, I _never_ dealt with a major real estate developer who wanted to install sprinklers, no matter how much lenders begged and insisted on them. It's a good thing that they were eventually mandated by building codes as it's so much less expensive to install them during initial construction.
The cost now to retrofit sprinklers on a high-rise hotel or residential building would be extremely high: in addition, in some parts of town there may well be insufficient water supply to provide an adequate amount of water to upper floors, given the number of new buildings developed in the last 25 years. Even when sufficient water might be available at street level, additional new standpipes and pumps could well be necessary to fully sprinkler a building of 50+ stories. Desirable as sprinklers would be, I doubt most coop/condo boards or unit owners would vote to approve the cost of such retrofits which might add little to the already astronomical market selling prices.
8
Even so, I bet the Resident’s penthouse has sprinklers.
10
wow, according to the great dealmaker, adding an additional $5000.00 to a Trump condo apparently would have priced it out of the market. I suspect there were faucet upgrades that cost more than that.
18
"Real estate developers, including Mr. Trump, fought the sprinklers, arguing that they were unnecessary and would add $4 per square foot to the cost of an apartment." For Trump and others, the almighty dollar is far more important than human life. For a 2000 sq. ft. apartment, this would add about $8000, which is peanuts compared to the $2.5 million Mr. Brassner wanted for his apartment.
No one should live or die as Mr. Brassner appeared to in his later years. As his mother would have said, " it's a shanda."
9
Question--does the Trump family apartment in the Tower have a sprinkler system?
Would be interesting to know.
22
My guess is that he burned through his inheritance and was down to attempting to unload his apartment.
7
I just sold a Trump building apartment in Manhattan.
Had no issues with his name on the masthead.
Actually a good time to buy.
He won't be President forever (I think)
12
This is certainly sad and infuriating, because sprinklers are an elementary safety requirement for any building, let along high rises.
However, the claim that he couldn't sell the apartment is false. You can always sell a piece of real estate. You may not be able to get the price you want, but you can sell it. It's just a matter of price.
16
Although there are plenty of people (me included) who wouldn't take a unit in a Trump building if someone gave it to us.
10
A pure New York story. RIP. (Nicely reported and written.)
5
"that residents in a fireproof building, like Trump Tower, were safest inside their apartments rather than evacuating."
There are no "fire proof" buildings and absolutely people should evacuate from any building experiencing a fire.
Typical that a cheeseball like Trump would have fought against installing sprinklers in a residential high rise.
12
For insurance purposes at least (at least insurance on all the apts I have had) there is such a thing as a "fireproof" building. Maybe "fire resistant" would be a better term. Many post WW1 multi unit buildings constructed of steel, concrete and the like are considered "fireproof" as fire is not likely to spread much beyond apt of origin as long as apt door is closed.
2
Apart from the whole Trump issue: this story is a warning to aging single homebodies like myself. I have to fight the same tendencies in my own life and I fear it will only worsen when I retire. You MUST keep beating back the clutter monster, keep going out to church/temple/meetings with friends/classes/volunteer work/etc., and maintain personal hygiene, health and home sanitation. Otherwise a similar fate could await you.
40
Frankly I was disappointed with myself in wasting my time reading about somebody who spent his life surrounded by expensive art, nice homes and sports cars. My apologies for appearing so unpolished but I feel much more sorry for children who are starving not far from that Trump Tower.
15
And you further waste your time writing about your disappointment in reading about somebody whose lifestyle you loathe?
3
I'm reading about sprinklers here, but my speculation is headed in a different direction.
5
Apartment "He could not Sale".
Ridiculous, Hyperbole - Just plain bad reporting.
He could not sell it FOR THE PRICE HE WANTED.
Sure his apartment lost value temporarily. My bet is that in 5+ years it will recover big time (It is NYC for godsake).
Surely as a collector he knew the concept of supply / demand.
10
Notice Trump's original tweet congratulating himself on his building's construction and acknowledging the fire department. Not much concern for his tenant who later died. Once a landlord always a landlord.
20
If he was trying to sell the unit, that means that he wasn’t a tenant.
2
He just couldn't stop himself...
The lifestyles of the rich and famous. Sounds pretty nonenviable to me.
2
It's not the lifestyles of the rich and famous. It''s the lifestyles of a certain type of not too bright NY kid who grew up in a family w/money and never had to worry much about earning a living -- could buy some paintings, hang out w'Andy Warhol 40 years ago and call (and still call) self "art dealer." As DJT would say: "SAD."
2
Mr. Brassner could not sell his apt. for what he thought it was worth so he remained there. He hated the apt., he hated Donald Trump but he remained. Everyone, including me, paints themselves into a corner at one time or another in their lives. I, too, hate my bldg. (not my apt) and would leave in an instant should I win the Lottery. That said, I can't walk away from rent in Manhattan less than $400 a month. So I, like Mr. Brassner, suffer in silence. Poor guy. Wish I had known him. We could have kvetched together.
7
You pay rent less than $400 a month in Manhattan? However small your apartment is, there are plenty of people who are willing to suffer for you if only you would let them have it.
1
"James Long, a spokesman for the Fire Department, said on Sunday that residents in a fireproof building, like Trump Tower, were safest inside their apartments rather than evacuating."
Really?
I don't think Todd Brassner would agree.
4
The spokesperson was referring to people in apts other than the apt where the fire started. THere have been many recent highrise fires in NY where people got hysterical when they smelled smoke and started running down the staircases, only to be asphyxiated by thick black smoke rising from the floor of the fire (smoke rises, and especially rises when occupants of apt on fire flee without closing door behind them). Because of these deaths, there is an NYC law that now requires building owners to post fire safety guidance on inside of apt front door, though not all owners do this, and even when they do not all tenants bother to read.
One wonders if a sprinkler system had been installed in Mr. Trump's residence. Why are we surprised?
4
He lived in an apartment in an armed camp that he couldn’t give away.
Another one of Trump’s victims.
5
While Trump's decision not to install sprinklers in what are supposed to be luxury, no-amenities-spared residences is mind boggling, it was a legal decision and condo owners/renters could have chosen to live elsewhere.
Smoke detectors, on the other hand, aren't optional in multi-dwelling buildings in NYC. Did the condo have a working smoke detector? The building residents quoted as saying they weren't advised of the fire were on lower floors. Were floors above the fire evacuated?
1
Generally floors above fire (xcept perhaps 1 directly above) are not evacuated because in building like that is generally considered safer to stay in own apt than venture into stairwells (dangerous to try use elevator in fire) that can rapidly fill with smoke that asphyxiates people (which has happened multiple times in recent years in NYC).
1
I lived in a house that burned down on Thanksgiving five years ago. Luckily, we all got out of the house, including my wife who is disabled and rode out on her electric scooter. I am living in an apartment now on the 37th floor of a 1983 vintage Cesar Pelli building that wasn't sprinklered when constructed in accordance with the prevailing code at the time. The mirror tower to mine had a fire that resulted in the death of a fireman over a decade ago. Our by-laws now insist that sprinklers be installed upon sale and transfer of existing units. I rebuilt my unit from the concrete floor up and installed sprinklers. Cost about $3.50 - 4 a foot in 2015.
9
Only the NYT would politicize this tragedy in this way. You make it sound like Trump's fault, just like every single problem in the world is Trump's fault.
The poor man seems to have had his problems, but he sounds like he enjoyed the perks of living at Trump tower until it became unpopular (by NYT standards).
It was a fire, a tragedy . . . leave Trump and your (and the victim's) hatred of him out of the story.
6
It was reported yesterday that Trump Organization lawyer Michael Cohen texted and warned one resident friend to get out of the building during the fire. If I was the other residents who werent warned, I’d say it’s another example that Trump and his org don’t look out for anyone else’s best interests and are only out for themselves and their buddies.
8
There is a law in NYC that requires owner of apt. to affix fire safety notice to back of front door. Don't know how that law applies in condo building, but notice, if there, would advise people to stay in own apt with door closed. Still no excuse for people at front desk to be ineffective, but might have prevented tenants from getting hysterical, as some seemed to do.
2
The disregard for health and safety demonstrated by Trump’s opposition to sprinklers in his buildings on the grounds of expense merely foreshadowed his gleeful destruction of regulations to preserve the safety of the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe. None of that could possibly matter as much to him as the bottom line. He knows the price of everything but the value of nothing.
38
To be honest, a more serious threat than lack of sprinklers in NY apt buildings is the threat of residents who flee leaving their front door open when they have a fire in their apt. That has probably been the cause of more deaths in NY apartment bldgs in the past 20-30 years than lack of sprinlers.
Several years ago the Culkin family (remember Macauley and the other "cute"acting brothers) had a fire in their high-rise apt. over by Lincoln Center (roughly same age as Trump Tower). When they fled they left the door to their apt open, allowing fire and smoke to travel through stairwells to floors above, killing several people (usually asphyxiated in stairwells while trying to escape;people who stayed in apts with door closed were generally okay). This brought about changes in NY fire safety regs requiring building operators to provide better fire educational materials and tell people not to do this (notice supposed to be posted on back of front door). Still, people continue to do it. Most recently,10 or so people died in fire in the Bronx a couple of months ago when the people in a first floor apt. left door open when they fled, making staircase a deathtrap.
17
This incident highlights the LACK of leadership that Donald Trump exhibits. He never sees the "Value", only the "Cost" in short term perceptions limiting his ability to make consciously "Good" decisions.
Good leadership requires strong moral courage to make good decisions in the face of competing alternatives. Choosing to increase the cost or reduce the planned profits would have been the courageous, correct, and value based decision that looked to the future!
23
The article reads more like a third-party suicide note than a discourse on the need for sprinklers and the resistance of Trump and other developers.
Was this death a suicide? Seems possible, perhaps likely. Rather than using a firearm, Mr. Brassner may have chosen to "take it with him" by destroying his life-work of collected treasures along with himself.
The chance to possibly inflict emotional and financial pain on Trump--the man who made the apartment unsalable--may also have been a factor. Thwarted by what appears to really be a "fire-proof building".
Was it suicide?
15
I had the same thought. If it was suicide Brassner was a true [self-censored, begins with “a”] because not only did he destroy valuable, irreplaceable objects for rather selfish reasons, he also chose a suicide method that put others in harm’s way. That no one else was hurt is moral luck, nothing more.
Collectors of art and rare artifacts of the past are custodians of our shared material history. Generally, these collectors are the best placed to keep their treasures in good condition, as that is in their interest. But if a custodian goes insane, like this one seems to have, all bets are off.
4
I wondered about this, too. Very sad if it turns out to be the case.
2
Suicide by fire, self immolation, is very uncommon in the United States according to the NIH. House fires that result in fatalities, on the other hand, are very common. The other thing that is very common in the United States is pop psychology and conspiracy theories. Brassner was alive when the Fire Department arrived and taken to hospital where he died. That would argue strongly against your theory. But for the latter category, you would fit right in.
Sprinklers were not required or common in 1983.
The law in 1999 exempted old construction in part because the apartment owners did not want to be held responsible for the improvements. (The resident owns the apartment, not the developer)
This situation in not unique. There are non-sprinkled buildings all over the city. In Chicago, the Hancock Center now known as 875 North Michigan Avenue, is not sprinkled.
5
All because Failing 45 couldn't stomach a 4$ per square foot addition to something that cost what, 1000/sq ft? Less than one half of one percent?
42
All things must pass. A sad ending for Mr. Brassner. Sounds like most of his life was pretty well lived. At least he had that.
16
apparently bon vivant is a French word meaning wastrel
1
Other tenants reported:
. They received no instruction to evacuate. One got word unofficially from Michael Cohen.
. There was no one at the front the front desk.
It also was widely reported Trump opposed a NYC ordinance requiring sprinkler systems. Since he wasn't required (the building remained under older law) he never installed this life-saving system.
So now Trump's neglect HAS killed someone on Fifth Avenue. And he's right that his worshipers won't care.
110
This often happens in fires in big buildings, at least in NY. Despite fire drills,when it really happens everyone gets confused and worries about getting in trouble with the boss if they do or do not do something. General welfare of the public is generally not what first comes to responsible people's minds in a real emergency -- getting in trouble with the boss is.
4
Trump-branded properties are losing all over the world. Here in NYC, it is not just his flagship Trump Tower. The Trump Soho removed his name, as did another branded property. And the residents of Trump South (the series of residential buildings he built along the Hudson River) recently voted to remove his name from their buildings. Trump-branded properties in other States are also having problems, both financially and "socially." And internationally, some of his properties are not only hemorraghing money, but are in political trouble as well.
I had predicted that he would actually resign from office if his brand began to be adversely affected (since I'm sure he went in assuming the opposite would be the case - as has been true in a few cases). I am actually surprised that he has not done so yet.
50
The drug of POWER is what keeps him in office now not to mention the perceived approval his narcissism requires and which is fed to him hourly by small minded sycophants.
1
This gentleman's arc of life strikes me as a metaphor. Any artist or art lover might appreciate that irony.
4
Wow, do people say “deep” anymore?
Over 70 people died last June in the Grenfell Tower fire in London built 9 years before the Trump tower, so this fire could have had far more serious consequences.
Notably, Trump's own residence is at the top of the building and it seems unlikely that he would cut corners risking his own safety.
The $4 per square foot for sprinklers in 35 years ago in 1983 would be $10 per square foot inflation adjusted. In the interest of correct reporting the NYT should inflation adjust dollars from so many years ago in today's terms. That stated, a 2,000 sq foot apartment in todays dollars would have added $20,000 to the overall cost. It seems hard to believe for that little additional cost, sprinkler systems would not have been installed.
33
The building is a condominium and while Trump may have owned majority of apts.in early years (and controlled board) I doubt (or at least hope) that is not the case now, with the condo board controlled by other apt. shareholders, and is the board that I assume calls the shots on whether they will do this or that on building maintenance and safety issues.
3
You think prices have only gone up 2.5 times in 35 years? HELLO! try more like 7-8 times. And the $4 cost in 1999 was for NEW CONSTRUCTION -- not retrofitting an older building, one that is 100 stories high.
2
Money vs. Lives and seems a whole lot of people chose money.
3
Mr. Trump: I spent over $30,000 on a sprinkler system for my four-story, 19th- century, mixed-use commercial building because I wanted to protect my renters as well as my property...the thought never occurred to me not to install one. You actually fought to make people less safe so you could save $4.00 a square foot...and now a man is dead and you tweeted about how well you construct your buildings rather than send condolences out to the friends and family of the man who died. I miss the grace of 44!
191
Yes indeed. Not one personal expression from t about the life of a tenant in his boondoggle,of a "Tower". He can only tweet to boast about his fake accomplishments with no acknowledgement of the victim. Truly a tragedy. Inhumane and disgusting behavior as usual.
4
Trump has no moral compass...never has. He is a conman.
I can relate to having health problems and being reclusive because of it. It’s hard to face yourself, at least for me, much less see the faces of others as they see you for who you are now.
But, I’m not rich so I can’t gloss over it and have fewer options. It’s a terrible way to go, I hope he didn’t end his own life while endangering others.
24
the fire did not start in his apartment - I doubt he went to Macauly Culken's apartment, started a fire, then went back to his own apartment to wait for the smoke
2
As someone thinking of building a very small (not tiny) house, I will look into sprinklers now.
15
What are we supposed to make of a 67 year old white man bon vivant living in a $2.5 million apartment in an infamous Midtown Manhattan tower with a $3 million art collection who dies in a fire?
While he did not have any sprinklers what about smoke alarms or fire extinguishers? How did the fire start? Did he have any physical health problems? Was he on legal or illegal drugs?
Rather than being about fire protection building codes this seems to be a case related to emotional and mental health. But for the building being the crown real estate jewel of the House of Trump that would be the case.
16
I know that sometimes people who have tendencies to HOARD, create a serious fire hazard in their homes. And when a fire starts, cannot escape. No, they don't take personal precautions when it comes to smoke alarms, extinguishers or escape plans. Apparently there was a LOT of volatile material in the home. This is truly tragic, but not uncommon.
8
"What are we supposed to make of a 67 year old white man bon vivant living in a $2.5 million apartment in an infamous Midtown Manhattan tower with a $3 million art collection who dies in a fire? "
How about remembering that, despite all judgmental attitudes about a life style that is different from yours, he was a human being with people who cared about him and will miss him. And that a conscious decision was made by someone (Trump) to put monetary value ahead of human life and safety.
1
why is race part of this story
Ok, I am still not quite sure of the facts....I have read:
1. No general evacuation plan for bldg
2. No Fire Alarm in bldg
3. Bldg Mgmt abandoned bldg.
any or all true?
32
From the article, "James Long, a spokesman for the Fire Department, said on Sunday that residents in a fireproof building, like Trump Tower, were safest inside their apartments rather than evacuating."
Sounds like negligent homicide to me.
That's NY for you.
this guys death shouldn't be a platform for anything.
the only thing tragic beyond addiction is to believing
material possessions are worth it.
from briefly reading this article, it sounds that was
the period in his later years.
2
I wonder if Trump has installed sprinkler system into his multi-level apartment?
19
It would have to be piped all the way down to the cellar. So not likely. A sprinkler also needs to be filed, so you can just check the DOB website to find out.
1
Shame on NYC for bowing to pressure & not REQUIRING sprinklers in all high rise apartments. Do it now.
131
The deadline to have functional and approved sprinkler systems installed for NYC buildings is 01Jul2019, I understand, so the rush is on.
1
They are required. After the Deutsche Bank fire even temporary sprinkler systems and firefighting standpipes are required for buildings under construction. https://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/08/18/2-firefighters-are-dead-in...
The codes in New York are more strict every year.
2
That deadline is for commercial buildings only not residential.
He seemed like a cool person to hang out with, why didn’t anyone install a $25.00 smoke alarm? The building manager, facility/maintenance or state of NY doesn’t require this? The insinuation of this article seems more important to spread pure hate to the Trumps, and make everyone’s life in this building even more a nuisance. I don’t think Mr. Trump is managing this building, he seems busy, so who the heck did he hire to run the joint? Doesn’t NYFD have any laws on smoke alarms? Oakland,Ca had the Ghost Ship fire, and sadly the tenants are in jail for it, Why can’t more writers help focus on the simple solution, demanding tentants have to have a smoke alarm, and put in their contract, home owners association, and make law that owners, building manager or facilities/maintenance do a quick test on smoke alarm in each unit annually? I may be at the other end of the coast, but I think a lot of your buildings are way older? Maybe New York can demonstrate spending energy constructively and help people be aware of smoke alarms, and ask the Trumps and his his rich friends to donate to NYFD to buy smoke alarms and start helping people install them. No offense, Californians are also dumb on this. Ever since 911, more and more people are forgetting how to get along here. 2 weeks after 911, everyone was so united and a simple look from another American said so much. My condolences to Brasseners family, this guy seemed like such a cool person to hang out with.
9
I don't now about condominiums (which is what Trump Tower is) but in NYC rentals, owners are required to install smoke/carbon monoxide detectors. There are also fire safety rules that are required to be posted on the back of each apt. front door (though many tenants don't read them).
1
We are mainly talking about sprinklers. Did I miss something? Are you suggesting there weren’t any smoke alarms either.
Smoke alarms are required.
2
are there sprinklers in the other Trump building on 5th and 56?
9
There is only one Trump building on 5th and 56th. There are other Trump building scattered around town, but, like the one at 5th and 56th, they are condominiums owned and operated by their apt. owners and elected boards, the "Trump" name really being just that - a name and not a reflection of who owns the building.
1
At least this didn't turn into another Grenfell Fire, despite the lack of in-unit sprinklers.
#RIPToddBrassner
10
If the penthouse in Trump Tower is about 6000 ft, the most a sprinkler system could cost in one of the other multi-million dollar apartments it's $24K, roughly the cost of one of his vintage Strats.....sad, avoidable tragedy.
6
"But when people heard it was a Trump building, he couldn’t give it away.”
Interesting.
The NYT might do some investigative reporting on how the Trump brand is weathering his presidency.
From the tidbits of news we get that bear on the issue, like this one, one has to think not well.
110
I would not want a place in the tower not because it belongs to someone I do not care for but the fact that Secret Service agents are checking everything that comes and goes out of the building.
I once dated a guy who worked in a federal building. He invited me to lunch and asked me to meet him at his office. Security made me take off my military issue boots because they have a steel toe and of course they went through all of my pockets, pack, etc. I told the guy I would not be visiting him at the office ever again.
2
OR, you could do a little research on your own and see that there are now 21 apartments for sale in Trump Towers with the cheapest 1 bedroom asking $1,825,000. There were 5 apartments that sold in the building over the past 12 months with the cheapest getting $1,892,000. The building is rated #3 in Midtown East by City Realty?
3
There seem to be a number of properties developed by the Trump organization in the US and elsewhere that have or are trying to remove his name and/or terminate his company's ongoing management responsibilities. I haven't heard of any new Trump projects. Trump's businesses and projects always seemed to require a lot of hot air to stay afloat, and that element is gone now. His children are not the dynamos he is. Just wondering how it is all going for them, that's all.
But why couldn't he sell his home? That's the story. Is it true that people are having a hard time selling their condos/apartments in Trump branded or built towers?
80
If I was in the market for a luxury apartment, I'd want to do without the media circus, protests, and security issues (when you have guests, do they need to go through some rigamarole to attend a party?)
Plus, no sprinklers.
Like Trump himself, his building appears to be disappointment covered in gold leaf.
47
He probably couldn't sell his apartment because he was asking too much money for it -- it's an outdated building in a neighborhood that no longer has much luster (tourists,chain stores, few services) and many other residents of that building have scuzzy reputations. Also, the apartment sounded cluttered. May not have been updated or shown well. Still, someone willing to clean it up and renovate would likely have taken it if the price was right.
19
(to SSimonson) I imagine Mr. Brassner failed to sell his apartment for the same reason he wanted to move out in the first place - the inconvenience of the vastly expanded security measures whenever the POTUS came and went. That would be a turn-off for me.
that's what happens when you have a deregulation mindset. you save a few bucks on sprinkler installation but it ll willcost you in the long run.
In Philly sprinklers worked (where they were installed).
https://youtu.be/WzwxrDNxcps
13
Actually,in New York in modern postwar buildings a more serious issue, and I believe the cause of more fire deaths, is people leaving the front door open when they flee their burning apartments. This allows fire and smoke to escape, turning into deathtraps the stairwells that people above the fire would use to escape. I'm not certain sprinklers would totally control that. At least the guy in this fire did not do that.
1
It is interesting to note that in his tweet 45 thank the firefighters, praised his "well built building'" and made no mention of the death of Mr. Brassner.
51
... because when he tweeted, the death had not been disclosed.
2
Sending FDNY and other First Responders up into an unsprinklered building sounds pretty terrible, too.
43
No sprinklers and a man died. The other residents were terrorized. But Trump can only brag on his building. Too bad Hope Hicks wasn't around to write him a note saying, "Oh, I care for the dead guy, too."
This is the Trump who bragged how not paying taxes meant he was "smart." He's a sociopath with affluenza.
71
It is a bit complicated... these are most likely fire marshals from Bureau of Fire Investigation. Indeed, if the unit had been sprinkled, then fire inspectors from Bureau of Fire Prevention would have been there.. and the fire might not be fatal.
6
Regardless of the circumstances of Mr. Brassner's death, the fact that trump did not retrofit the building with sprinklers (using the fact that he has not renovated the place to ignore the issue), is unconscionable. Not only that, there were no warnings to tenants, no evacuation effort for a 4-alarm fire (other than trump's lawyer texting his pal to get out), and an abandoned front desk, so tenants calls went unanswered. trump sounds like a high-rent slumlord, indifferent to basics. Then again, he is treating the entire country much the same way.
64
Wow, "say what" ... you said it all, and very well at that. Thank you.
10
Lots of buildings grandfathered in under old laws are not retrofitted. And the inadequate response staff is not surprising --no matter how many "fire drills"you have, there alway seems to be mass confusion and chaos when a real fire breaks out, at least in NYC. It shouldn't have happened in a building like that,but is by no means surprising in NY.
6
I have spent many years in a 20th floor condo. I understand all you say here; however, none of that provides a good excuse not to have evacuation instructions, a working system alerting tenants to the fire, and guidelines for building staff. I have to believe that the trump organization is going to be facing some legal action for code violations, if not by the city then at least by some tenants.
11
Out of curiosity, is it possible to install a sprinkler system in your own unit? I am sure it would have been expensive, but the fire potential of cluttered apartments is truly scary. My local government has actually started to enforce code violations arising out of hoarding in multi-unit housing because of the concern that a fire in one unit could trap residents and firefighters and spread to adjacent apartments.
5
It is possible but probably very difficult and expensive to install a sprinkler system in your own unit. All the paper work involved plus the retro-fitting of electrical/plumbing works into the building's own system (?) would be far too onerous for one unit only. If all the units were to be fitted at the same time, it would be more practical and economical (economies of scale and all)?
3
Very sad for him to have felt trapped by an albatross apartment and declining health. Maybe he could have sold his artwork and musical instruments, done a deed-in-lieu on the apartment and moved on to buy a home for cash in a less expensive part of the country? This question may be unthinkable to younger people but once a person is of a certain age, thoughts turn to how much time do I have left and what can I do to make that time as comfortable as possible. Anyway, he is freed from his worries now. RIP Mr Brassner
18
Or just buy a smaller unit in Manhattan and rent his apartment out for less money. Money does not seem to have been the primary issue here.
3
Where did the valet park the lamborghini?
I doubt that anybody in the market for a $2.5 million high rise apartment would be willing to settle for a place without sprinklers. Trump, not known for looking beyond the now, probably gave no thought to re-sale values on these apartments. He probably also did not foresee that virtually all new high rises would have sprinklers. Also: Trump, the Consoler in Chief, has a dead tenant but brags about his well built building. Cash never equals class.
84
Why would he care about the resale value of the apartments in Trump Tower any more than he cared about the value of a degree from Trump University? All that counts is that he made his profit. Caveat emptor.
2
Is this the ONLY building of its age in Manhattan? the only without sprinklers? I kinda doubt that, but there is nothing here to base such an opinion on.
My guess is that $2.5 million was Brassner's "wish price" but not realistic. It is a rare property that won't sell just because of the name on the front door, if the price is right. Or could be rented out, while Brassner moved elsewhere. He was very rich and he had a LOT of options.
3
If Mr. Brassner's apartment were very cluttered and he never left it, Realtors might not have shown it. You can't expect to sell an apartment that is in poor condition when buyers can buy much better versions in the same building.
1
"Real estate developers, including Mr. Trump, fought the sprinklers, arguing that they were unnecessary and would add $4 per square foot to the cost of an apartment."
No surprise here.
29
"...would add $4 per square foot to the cost of an apartment."
Seems worth it to me.
42
"The apartment was so cluttered, Mr Brassner could hardly move." These heavily cluttered apartments, formerly known as "collier mansions" are a very dangerous condition. Not only are these conditions a great risk to the inhabitants of the apartments and all there neighbors, they exponentially increase the difficulty and danger for firefighters trying to extinguish the fires. If you know someone living in these conditions, try to get them help. These living conditions are a ticking time bomb. Also, sprinklers save lives.
43
Collyer's Mansion, named after the Collyer brothers in Harlem who died in 1947.
1
interesting that mr brassner had been desperate to sell that apartment -- with absolutely no buyers. which you would think would have added value as belonging to a warhol insider...
and then we learn that occupancy is down significantly.
and now, that big black blown-out window -- not a good look for the upper east side... i wonder how he's gonna cover it over until the repairs are made...
20
Out of curiosity, were there sprinklers in the World Trade Center?
10
Installed after the buildings were completed, but apparently damaged so severely in the initial impact that they did not work.
10
Yes. There were sprinklers in the World Trade Center.
1
The Trade Center opened in 1973 so I doubt it. Sprinklers would not have put out a giant fireball of jet fuel.
2
The Fire Commissioner noted in his presser last night that the cause of the fire has not been determined. The fire was mostly contained to this apartment. The owner of the apartment appears to have some mental health challenges. The owner recently declared bankruptcy, and the apartment is said to contain valuable works of art. This article says that the apartment was extremely cluttered.
Tragic accident? Arson/suicide (still tragic)? I bet there is more to this story.
15
It always is...
2
It could be as simple as leaving a pot of water to boil on the stove and then forgetting about it. My aunt nearly destroyed her sister's (my other aunt's) kitchen when she did that. Or a malfunctioning small electrical appliance that was not unplugged (the cause of the horrifying fire that killed six children in an Orthodox Jewish family trying to keep their food hot for the Sabbath). It doesn't take much to start a fire, and cluttered conditions will ensure rapid spread. So sad. At some point, when you have so many things, maybe it's time to start selling or just giving them away so the next generation can appreciate them too.
5
What I wonder is whether the contents of the apartment (including the "valuable" works of art) were insured. If so, I suspect the insurance company will put some real effort into determining what was going on.
1
One wonders how the fire started.
8
Does one wonder how all fires start or just this particular one?
6
I'm a PD, my husband drives a school bus, we both volunteer for the Boy Scouts, and have now started a classic rock band although we're approaching our mid60's. Live your life to be of service to others, and you'll be happier.
27
I knew Todd back in 1973-4. We used to play poker frequently. His family’s art gallery was in the Sherry-Netherland hotel and his bank was the J P Morgan Trust on 58 st and Madison. He did not stray far from that part of Manhattan.
He was a sweet guy, who had no malice in him. He loved his Porsche, and his mother, and he knew his music history well.
It’s sad to see that this is how he lived the last few years of his life. People with psychological issues who have financial wherewithal are able to resist attempts by family and friends to help them get the help they need. That’s the take home message here. Help people get the help, even if it’s a struggle.
101
Who knew that owing a high rise could be so complicated?
38
The cost of a human life ... "Real estate developers, including Mr. Trump, fought the sprinklers, arguing that they were unnecessary and would add $4 per square foot to the cost of an apartment."
62
I strongly suspect that the cost of retrofitting sprinklers would be much higher. In most cases, it would involve exposed pipes on the ceiling, making it harder to rent or sell.
2
This guy reminds me of a lot of people I know in Manhattan. They have big expensive apartments but little or no apparent source of income and it's a mystery how they can afford their lifestyle.
A lot of people in NYC who appear to be well off are not. They might be apartment rich but are otherwise broke.
As for myself....I live well within my means.
26
Somehow I think you are missing the point, its not about this gentlemen's life style it is about the fact that there are high risers where developers have fought against sprinklers that could save your life . Manhattan has this belief that buildings should be in the clouds, with no concern about how you get out of the building if something terrible happens. When you close the hotel door in California they tell you what to do in case of an earthquake. Everything about this country is about the dollar not about human life. I doubt if Trumps family members with all those kids don't have sprinklers in there units. Living within your means is one thing being safe and protected is another. You should focus on that instead of being small and petty. People in Fling Michigan are living within there means yet for years they have had contaminated drinking water, the government should be addressing issues that can cause the death of the American people and do there jobs. Every building should have sprinklers period.
38
The article clearly says that Mr. Brassner ran himself into bankruptcy -- but then was bailed out by a HUGE inheritance from his parents -- enough to buy him a Lamborghini, which costs roughly $200,000.
3
I believe it is 'Flint' Michigan.
1
If Trump, the owner and developer of this building could not (or would not) keep it's residents "safe" because the money was more important, why is it that his supporters cannot (or will not) admit that he is incapable (or unwilling) to keep our country safe if it means that he can't hold onto or make more money? Does anyone think that he ran for president out of patriotic duty to serve the country that propelled him to the oligarchy? If so, I heard there is a bridge for sale that looks great out in the desert.
107
The building is a condominium owned and operated by the condo owners and their elected board. Unless Trump owns a majority of the shares he doesn't own the building. I have no idea whether he does or doesn't own enough shares to own the building, but I think you should confirm that before you call him "the owner."
1
ellienyc: Trump had oversight of the building and chose NOT to spend the money to put sprinklers in all units, and was the developer who chose not to have the foresight to fireproof the building. I am not ready to give him a pass.
"James Long, a spokesman for the Fire Department, said on Sunday that residents in a fireproof building, like Trump Tower, were safest inside their apartments rather than evacuating."
That would only be true if the apartments were also fireproof.
119
The shirtwaist fire took place in a fireproof building. The textiles -- and the people -- are what burned.
A fireproof building is no protection against burning tons of oil paint and acrylics.
That's why the sprinklers are relevant. Duh, Mister Trump, recipient of the emoluments.
28
What Mr. Long means is: you are trapped. So don’t panic, pray.
This is not about where the victim lived, but more about mental illness. His friends should have insisted he got help.
23
Insisted? People usually do not dive from a high board into their "state", so much as they fade from others. Sounds like people checked in on him and that he was at least interested in the interview, bying a car, chatting about art and Trump. He was fading, not diving. We live out our lives, eh? Not everybody has a friend close enough to make any sort of demand at all, and especially not about "getting some help".
51
The article says he was in declining health (not surprising for a 67 year old). How did you leap to mental illness?
5
Good points Jazz, as the lyrics from a U2 song suggest”
“It’s a long way down to nothing at all.”
2
This pretty much says it all: "Real estate developers, including Mr. Trump, fought the sprinklers, arguing that they were unnecessary and would add $4 per square foot to the cost of an apartment."
$4 more per square foot? For an apartment worth millions? That adds a negligible amount to the total. But in Trump's calculus, that's more important than the safety of his tenants. Now one is dead as a result.
"Prayers and condolences" indeed. What a sham and what a disgrace. Will anything be done about it?
373
He could have had the sprinklers installed himself if he wanted to. He had smoke alarms. How many private residences have sprinklers?
8
I don't see how he got himself grandfathered once the mandatory law was passed. There is nor fire proof building that is why they are mandatory.
10
He didn't get himself grandfathered. All residential buildings built before then are grandfathered, unless they make extensive renovations.
6
Not sure why this is newsworthy? Tragic, yes. Newsworthy only because it is in a trumpy building? Sprinklers were not required at the time of construction, so nothing at fault other than whatever happened inside that apartment, whose tenant had become increasingly reclusive and 'struggled with drugs'.
15
No, it's not only newsworthy because it was a Trump building. The man died, lived a notable life, his apartment was completely in flames, visible to everyone in that busy area. It's not something that's going to go unreported, even if he wasn't in a Trump building.
17
It’s newsworthy because a man died in a fire at a building owned by the president of the U.S.
It’s also newsworthy that while he tweeted out a thank you to firefighters and police for containing the fire he couldn’t manage a tweet of condolences to the victim or his family.
I wonder how long it will take before Trump sues the man’s estate for damages to his building? That is typical Trump behavior.
46
The story may have made the national news because it was a Trump building, but it's definitely newsworthy in New York City as an example of why grandfathering in all existing residential buildings to avoid safety updates is important for the city and its residents.
The City of New York made a policy decision at the behest of real estate owners. It could have required retrofitting for sprinklers even at the cost of $4 a square foot. It chose to capitulate to real estate owners and risk tenants' lives.
16
Yeah, it is such a desirable location and everybody wants to live there. Except the people who can't find anyone to buy their apartments. Name on the door pretty much covers everything - owned by the world's biggest jerk.
297
I thought the allegation lobbed at Trump was that he was SELLING luxury condos to "Russians" and foreigners all the time -- now you say he CANNOT sell any of these apartments or condos -- WHICH IS IT?
Isn't the more likely story that Mr. Brassner wanted an unrealistic sum for his apartment -- which was cluttered & filthy & a fire hazard -- and that he could have easily sold it if he'd lowered the price?
2
Nope! Owned by the President of the United States! Remember that.
2
I hope Donald Trump is held personally responsible for this death and destruction of cherished treasures. I also wonder if Trump actually owns Trump Tower now or did he sell the building and just keep the naming rights like he does with many other properties around the world. Obviously, apartment owners are not safe enough without any warning system for smoke and a system to repress the fire.
42
Did you read the article ????????
Trump Tower was built 15 years before sprinklers were mandatory. Once the condos were sold, it was not Trump Organizations problem.
The $4 per square foot amount was for NEW buildings like the Trump World Tower, which was under construction at that time.
6
It is vitally important to know the cause of the fire, in order to assign responsibility as to Mr. Brassners death.
1
One man's "cherished treasures" are another man's "hoard".
Sprinklers in high-rises: Just some more of those "unnecessary regulations" that Republicans hate so much. Aren't we lucky that the whole country is under their de-regulating thumb?
424
Thousands of apartments in NYC Housing Authority buildings do not have sprinklers.
2
Making sprinklers, seat belts, etc., optional (again) does NOT equal making America great. Unless you mean great, for Profiteers. VOTE, people. Our Lives depend on it.
4
If I ever move into another hi-rise, I will jolly well ask about the fire safety equipment fist.
1
No sprinklers. Mr. Infrastructure!
172
He's the only builder I know of who was against them. The benefits of them are so great they probably would have added $10 sq ft of value but El Trumpo the guy who would be richer if he just invested conservatively instead of trying to "make" money after he inherited had to watch the bottom line on his costs. You know those darn Sprinkler Fitters are so expensive.
note; Forbes estimated his wealth at $200M, El Trumpo claimed $500M
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-probably-better-investing-donald-2330...
The math
Imagine Trump had retired in 1982, sold his real estate holdings and invested his $500 million in the S&P 500 — that is, 500 stocks representing the American stock market.
From 1982 through the end of 2014, the S&P 500 index had an annualized return, including reinvested dividends, of 11.86 percent, according to MoneyChimp’s S&P 500 Compound Annual Growth Rate calculator.
Per this calculator, every dollar invested in January 1982 would have been worth $40 by December of 2014. That means Trump’s initial $500 million would have grown to $20 billion. That’s twice what Trump says he’s worth today.
36
Gee. If Trump had invested as you suggest, perhaps he would not have 'needed' the Presidency to continue boosting his ego. It would've earned him a fortune, and saved us all a few years of anxiety -- to say the least.
Meanwhile, my condolences to Mr. Brassner's family and friends.
10
My NYC building doesn't have sprinklers either and it is NOT owned by Trump
7
What a shame - a loss of life foremost and also a loss of timeless artefacts. Trump has been ridiculed for his tweet about the fire, but what has not received due attention is that it originated from the same account that Trump uses for his political propaganda. Trump is using the White House as a corporation office and it's reasonable to interpret the tweet as an effort to keep the value of Trump Tower properties from falling further.
221
Ahhh…the fickle nature of real estate.
A very cool guy ends up living in a very un-cool building. I guess he should have moved to an apartment along the High-Line 10 years ago. That said, a mid-town 50th floor view is generally pretty hard to beat.
In 2018 no one should be dying in fires in “fireproof” buildings.
68
Wait a minute. There are no buildings in which there are no sources of ignition, nor are there apartments that have no flammable contents. A "fireproof (maybe four-hour-rated?) building" means that a fire in one apartment should be able to be extinguished before spreading to other apartments or common areas. And that seems to be the case here.
12
Once again, another sign of Donald Trump carelessness and callousness towards anyone but himself.
He has a residence that costs nothing additional to the American taxpayers - it's called the White House, and it's the most prestigious address in the world. If he wants a vacation, he can go to Camp David. But no, that isn't enough for President Donald Trump. President Donald Trump has to keep a permanent apartment in a building with thousands of other people living it, causing a constant, abhorrently expensive nightmare for them and everyone around them. President Donald Trump has to keep vacation resort-homes in Florida and New Jersey, constantly inconveniencing these communities and forcing taxpayers to pay outrageous fees to his own company.
That this man, suffering from illness, felt trapped by his own residence, failed by inadequate building systems and a President who just didn't give a darn about his existence, is heartbreaking. I wish that Mr. Brassner had gotten help, because he didn't deserve to die like this.
He may been trying to get help. However, the selfish, inconsiderate actions of the President who barely notices the people around him may have contributed to his lack of achieving it.
94
could the sad and avoidable death of Mr. Brassner be foreshadowing the fate of all the rest of us under Mr Trump's leadership?
68
Doubt it
3
Nope. It foreshadows the decline of our country as we knew it.
Another fire at Trump Tower. Spontaneous combustion I suppose amidst all the glitz and glitter. And not a single word of sympathy for Mr. Brassner and his family from our Fool-in-Chief. Nasty lawsuits being what they are, I can absolutely understand that.
The future of Trump Tower? I see it ending up as a homeless shelter before too long.
It's hard finding buyers for a fire trap.
66
Make that:
It's hard finding million-dollar buyers for a fire trap.
1
Todd Brassner, 67 years old unfortunately reminds one of many men of our generation.
18
He couldnt give his apartment away according to his friend? He could have given it to me.
21
The "couldn't sell his apartment" part went unquestioned by the reporter. He could have sold it; just probably not at the price he expected for it. Anything will sell, at the right price.
2
Yeah, Bob, a total stranger could have given you a 2.5 million dollar apartment but could you afford to pay the fees and taxes?
3
I agree,davebro.There's no apartment that can't be sold. If it's not selling, then something's wrong with the price.
3
Donald Trump lobbied against sprinkler systems in NYC. Rudy Giuliani thought that was ok.
122
Is anyone surprised? Giuliani doesn't value human life either.
Donald skimping on his buildings to save a buck, now Trump Tower will always be known not to have sprinklers. Wonder if the penthouse has sprinklers???
111
People in NYC have long known this. Years ago, like 25 or 30 years ago, the NY Times did a piece on Trump buildings and whether they lived up to "The Donald's"claims ("finest construction anywhere," etc). The verdict of the engineers,inspectors and others the Times hired was that they were nothing special and,as I recall, said NYC public housing of the 50s and 60s was sturdier.
2
Did any fire alarm go off in the building? And how can a building be fire proof as someone claimed for this article?
33
Here, from the FDNY:
http://www.fdnysmart.org/safetytips/fire-proof-or-non-fire-proof/
"Generally, fires in fire proof buildings will be contained to the portion of the building where the fire started."
8
The building - the structure - is fireproof. The contents are not.
5
What a sad story.
26
1) Real Estate doesn't sell if the price is too high.
2) Most homes do not have sprinklers.
3) People are responsible for the homes they choose to buy and for the maintenance of these homes.
4) What caused the fire?
13
2a) Most homes do not have 50 floors.
124
A residential house is not a high rise where one is trapped on the 30th floor with smoke and flames coming at you.
Please think and do not just reflex ignorant.
21
Neither does this one - he lied about how tall the building is, because he lies about everything.
19
Small wonder that, other than the trumpeter, are likely to say that they want to be a developer when they grow up.
6
"Real estate developers, including Mr. Trump, fought the sprinklers, arguing that they were unnecessary and would add $4 per square foot to the cost of an apartment."
Who is surprised to read this?
317
Having watched the movie "towering inferno" as a teenager, it is comforting that this fire in the Trump tower was a micro scale version and that reality did not mimic art. Sorry that an art collector and dealer had to lose his life in Trump tower home of Todd Bassner. Sympathies to his friends and loved ones and may his soul rest in peace. It would have been 25 years since the Trump tower has been home to 100s of New Yorkers and until the root cause of the fire is not thoroughly investigated and revealed, I will not proportion blame on anyone, I will treat it as an unfortunate accident and to those who are trying to capitalize on this tragedy by making cruel comments, I would say get a life.
18
It's very sad when one sees themself only in terms of their material wealth. There's no possibility of true connection, love, friendship. There's only hoarding and a showing-off of stuff and self-identification with it. There can be no true happiness--just addiction to pleasure after pleasure.
This unhappy story is a parable for our material culture.
117
To the contrary, he was invested in high end collections of art and musical instruments that would make a fine gift to a museum. Sounds like he might have been becoming a bit reclusive, but lots of elderly single folks suffer from that and it has nothing to do with the things they invest in. Hopefully none of it got destroyed in the fire, but that is probably unlikely.
24
It's sad that the writer primarily portrays a man only in terms of his material wealth. Illness, depression, and isolation can happen to those with true connections as well as those without.
26
The comment barbara wrote has hit the nail right on the head.
"But when people heard it was a Trump building, he couldn’t give it away.”
It would be interesting to learn if this is happening to other owners looking to sell in a Trump building.
306
... it was a Trump building, he couldn’t give it away.”..
----------- 'course their idea of giving it away is to lower the price to a mil five . . .
8
They sell well to Russians and other eastern European plutocrats.
13
He couldn't give it away means he couldn't get his price.
4
In reading this article, my observation / comments are, sprinklers in buildings save lives. A adequately designed, sprinklered building enables the people to get out of the building, prevents fire and smoke spread and in most cases puts the fire out with only 1 or 2 sprinkler heads operating. This contrasts with the Hollywood myth that every sprinkler goes off in a fire.
Also, to the best of my knowledge, there has never been a loss of life in an adequately sprinklered building. The few exceptions are when a catstrophic event occurs like a bomb.
Building owners say that is it too costly to sprinkler the building should be weighing the risk of significant fire and smoke damage cost as well as loss of life and subsequent insurance / legal claims versus the incremental cost to put sprinklers in the building.
167
If I remember correctly from a fire safety engineering class ~30 years ago, there was never a multiple firefighter death in a properly sprinkled building.
79
That is correct. Because by the time the fire department arrives, the sprinklers if properly designed per fire codes, would have controlled / put out the fire by the time the fire department arrived.
Also look at it this way. A sprinkler system for a residence is 0.1gpm/sqft over 1500 sqft. So about 10 gpm of water from a sprinkler could have put out the fire. And the response would have been in less than a minute.
6
"Building owners say that is it too costly to sprinkler the building should be weighing the risk of significant fire and smoke damage cost as well as loss of life and subsequent insurance / legal claims versus the incremental cost to put sprinklers in the building."
Yeah, but they value money more than your life.
1
This is a very sad story, but it ironically validates my statement, "Anybody who gets involved with Trump gets burned."
One needs a good-bye plan if he or she is to be attached to Trump or his assets.
249
The most important comment in the story and predictive of Trump's horrid behavior related to regulations protecting citizens, air, water, etc. "Mr. Brassner’s apartment in Trump Tower, built in 1983, did not have sprinklers, which were not required. In 1999, after two deadly fires in high-rise apartments, New York City enacted legislation requiring sprinkler systems in most new residential buildings and existing properties that were extensively renovated. Real estate developers, including Mr. Trump, fought the sprinklers, arguing that they were unnecessary and would add $4 per square foot to the cost of an apartment."
349
My impression is that were was fighting installation in pre-existing buildings.
1
But a lot of buildings built pre-code in NYC had sprinkler systems built-in because it was the right thing to do. But no one has ever blamed Drumpf of doing the right thing.
7