At the kennedy center workers erected scaffolding around the section of the building that included President Trump's name as a court ordered removal neared.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper previously ruled the name had been added illegally and ordered it removed by the court deadline, according to reporting.
The Kennedy Center's leadership sought a last minute stay to keep the letters in place, but the judge denied that request, and the institution continued legal efforts after the denial.
In a filing the center asked the court to act by 7 pm ET and argued the appeal raised "serious questions about Article III standing and about the powers of the Center's Board."
The Kennedy Center's Office of General Counsel told staff in a June 4 memo that email signatures, letterhead and other documents must reflect the name as "The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts" or "Kennedy Center."
The center's website and recent member communications offering ticket packages for the June 28 Mark Twain Award for American Humor omitted Trump's name, as reported.
Reporters noted that early in his second term President Trump replaced the center's previous leadership with a new board of trustees that named him chairman.
Removal Work Progress And Legal Aftermath
Crews began dismantling large letters soon after the deadline passed, though workers hung a white tarp that obscured how much progress was made, according to live coverage.
The Kennedy Center asked a judge to extend the deadline until noon Saturday citing thunderstorms that delayed work, and the center said the removal was expected to wrap Saturday morning.
A crowd gathered as the letters came down, and observers reported a rainbow outside the building while people watched removal activity during Pride month.
The administration had filed to delay the removal but the judge declined, and observers noted an appeals court could still intervene though that seemed unlikely before the end of the day.
Judge Cooper also blocked the administration from closing the venue for planned major renovations set to begin in July and last two years, as part of his earlier ruling.
News outlets and additional reporting have covered related matters, including staff allegations about management changes and lawsuits from preservation groups opposing center alterations.
