Donald Trump blasted conditions on Fifth Avenue as “deplorable” in a letter to Mayor Bloomberg complaining about street vendors who are “rapidly destroying” the street’s ambience.
The letter, addressed “Dear Michael,” accuses vendors of pretending to be military veterans so they can peddle their wares on the high-rent street.
Special regulations give veterans more leeway than other vendors.
Trump said he inquired of one vendor – who displayed hats and shirts bearing Trump’s trademark phrase “You’re fired” – which war he had fought in, but the vendor smiled and said, “Mr. Trump, I am too smart to fight in a war.”
But Trump favors no special peddling privileges for veterans, either.
“Whether they are veterans or not, they [the vendors] should not be allowed to sell on this most important and prestigious shopping street,” The Donald wrote.
Trump also took a swipe at the local Business Improvement District, which administers extra services paid for by a levy against building owners.
“I am perhaps most disappointed by the job being done by the Fifth Avenue Association to have allowed this situation to reoccur,” he wrote. “It is now as bad as it was 10 years ago.”
The Fifth Avenue Association did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
Trump said building owners and tenants are “forced to clean up all the discarded debris” when the vendors leave – and the stores are “complaining bitterly.”
“Frankly, I have no idea how they can be doing business with the mess they have outside their front door,” he wrote.
“Fifth Avenue’s comeback is going to be a short one if this situation is not corrected immediately.”
Trump implored the mayor to act quickly or the city’s reputation will falter.
“The image of New York City will suffer,” Trump wrote. “I hope you can stop this very deplorable situation before it is too late.”
A Bloomberg spokeswoman last night declined to comment on the letter.
A call to Trump’s office was not returned.