The Trenton Times published the following article on October 28, 2013. To read the full article, click here.
Trenton may sell off large collection of local art that lines the walls of the Lafayette Yard Hotel
By Jenna Pizzi/The Times of Trenton
on October 28, 2013 at 6:50 AM, updated October 28, 2013 at 6:53 AMTRENTON — Although it no longer has the word Trenton in its name, the Lafayette Yard Hotel and Conference Center is uniquely Trenton.
Anyone who walks though the doors of the city-owned hotel will notice photos of the famed “Trenton Makes” bridge behind the reservation desk and vintage maps, dating back to 1776, alongside more recent paintings of city streets.
When the hotel first opened under the Marriott flag in 2002, the art on the walls was carefully chosen to showcase local artists and local history. Now that art may end up on the auction block along with the hotel.
The Lafayette Yard Community Development Corp., the board of mayoral appointees that oversees the hotel, has asked chairwoman Joyce Kersey to hire a professional to determine the value of the hundreds of pieces of art that hang in the building before the building is sold at auction.
Last month, the board filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, saying the business was struggling to make money and amassing hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt each week. A bankruptcy court judge has tentatively approved a Nov. 25 date for the business to be auctioned off.