Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Trump Tower, the 58-story multi-use skyscraper located on Fifth Avenue between 56th and 57th Streets in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. When I first stepped foot into the tower, I didn’t take notice to the lavish decorations or the delish smelling food right away. Instead, I quickly took notice of the immense security presence. Before even approaching the building, my bag was searched. Then, when I got inside, my bag had to go through a metal detector. After Donald Trump won the presidency in November, the security in and around Trump Tower has skyrocketed.

The online site, amNewYork.com, provides us with “a breakdown of some of the current security measures and how many people are impacted by them.”

• Number of extra NYPD officers: 50 per day

• Cost to NYC: $35 million

• Number of pedestrians on Fifth Avenue during peak hours: 25,000

• Number of restricted lanes on Fifth Avenue: 2/5

• Number of buses along Fifth Avenue each morning: 140

• Feet above ground that planes must fly: 2,999

Although the increased security is within good reason, it is creating a lot of problems for local 5th avenue businesses. According to the NY Daily News, “It looks like a war zone out there and is completely uninviting. The small businesses are getting pummeled.” Without easy access for hungry pedestrians, they pass at eating anywhere near Trump Tower. Businesses are also struggling with deliveries, as they have to walk blocks to get around restrictions. Unfortunately for businesses, the security will not be lightening up, as Trump’s family plans to finish off the year in New York City.