<P> Repairs on Central Park's Wollman Rink begun in 1980 by a general contractor who was unconnected to Trump . Despite an anticipated two and a half year construction timeframe, the repairs remained incomplete in 1986 . Trump took over the project, completed it in three months for $1.95 million, $775,000 less than the initial budget . He operated the rink for a year with most profits going to charity and public work projects, in exchange for the rink's concession rights . </P> <P> In 1988 Trump acquired the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan for a record - setting $407 million and asked his wife Ivana to manage its operation . Trump invested $50 million to restore the building, which he called "the Mona Lisa". According to hotel expert Thomas McConnell, the Trumps boosted it from a three - star to a four - star ranking and sold it in 1995, by which time Ivana was no longer involved . </P> <P> In 1994, Trump became involved with a building on Columbus Circle that was swaying in the wind . He began a reconstruction project that stopped the swaying and gave the building a full makeover . Trump thereafter owned commercial space in that 44 - story mixed - use tower (hotel and condominium), which he named Trump International Hotel and Tower . </P> <P> In 1996, Trump acquired the Bank of Manhattan Trust Building, which was a vacant seventy - one story skyscraper on Wall Street that had briefly been the tallest building in the world when it was completed in 1930 . After an extensive renovation, the high - rise was renamed the Trump Building at 40 Wall Street . </P>

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