Amenities Have Officially Jumped the Shark

A condo apartment on the 31st floor of Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue went on sale for $2.1 million. Less than a week after Donald Trump stunned the world by winning the presidential election, according to Politico, an email flyer went out trumpeting the apartment’s virtues. Even by the standards of today’s overheated amenities race – valet baby-stroller parking, anyone? – this pitch was over the top.

“Fifth Avenue Buyers Interested in Secret Service Protection?” the email asked. “The New Aminity (sic) – the United States Secret Service. The Best Value in the Most Secure Building in Manhattan.”

While gridlock grips upper Fifth Avenue and New Yorkers grumble that they’re shelling $500,000 a day for Secret Service operations in the tower the president-elect calls home, leave it to New York real estate brokers to try to turn a black eye into a plum. The sale of the $2.1 million condo is being handled by Douglas Elliman, but the agency was quick to distance itself from the email, saying in a statement: “This was completely unauthorized and done without the knowledge or approval of Douglas Elliman.”