Renderings show most detailed vision for Trump’s White House ballroom | Donald Trump

New renderings released this week provide the most detailed view yet of Donald Trump’s proposed $400 million addition to the White House Ballroom.

The renderings, submitted by the project’s architects and released Friday by the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), depict a vast, sprawling structure, expected to measure approximately 90,000 square feet, from multiple angles.

In the images, the proposed building is located on the level of the White House mansion.

The renderings appear in a 28-page document titled “East Wing Modernization” and dated February 11. It was submitted ahead of the March 5 NCPC hearing, when board members are scheduled to discuss the proposal.

Trump named several allies to the NCPC commission and he installed loyalists on the Fine Arts Commission, which is also charged with reviewing the ballroom plans.

According to CNN, the renderings were removed from the NCPC website shortly after being uploaded on Friday. The commission did not respond to CNN’s requests for comment regarding the deletion.

The ballroom project made headlines and sparked outcry from the start. In October, Trump sparked a public backlash when he abruptly began demolishing the East Wing, to make space for his ballroom, before construction plans had been submitted to watchdogs.

At the time, White House officials said the demolition did not require commission approval and that they would present plans for any construction to the appropriate committees.

In December, the National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block construction of the new ballroom, arguing that the administration violated several laws by demolishing portions of the White House “without any review.”

Also in December, Trump replaced the architect originally chosen to design the Golden Ballroom, following reports of disagreements. The White House then selected Shalom Baranes Associates to lead the project.

The most recent cost estimate for the ballroom is $400 million. The project is funded by private donors and large companies, including Meta, Apple, Amazon, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Palantir Technologies, Google and Comcast.

Earlier this week, Trump shared two renderings of the ballroom on social media.

“It’s on budget and ahead of schedule!” » Trump wrote. “When completed, it will be the most beautiful ballroom ever built in the world, one that has been sought after by presidents for over 150 years – and now they’re getting THE BEST! »

“Due to its unprecedented structural and security features, it will also be used for future presidential inaugurations,” he added.

In a February 5 memo to the NCPC, Joshua Fisher, director of the White House Office of Administration, defended the administration’s decision to demolish the East Wing.

“Based on analysis, demolition of the existing East Wing structure and reconstruction of a new East Wing provided the most effective solution to many long-standing problems affecting the White House and provided the best long-term risk reduction,” he wrote.

Fisher said that conservators from the National Park Service and the General Services Administration “advised and documented the removal of historic elements of the building and oversaw the manner in which the removals occurred” and that “significant historic elements associated with the buildings were meticulously preserved.”

Some of the preserved features include the East Wing cornerstone and plaque, movie theater furniture, East Colonnade columns, interior woodwork, chandeliers, historic windows and doors, and much more, he said.

“Our goal is to ensure that some of these elements are integrated into the new structure,” he added.

Fisher also stated that “all heavy equipment was kept a safe distance from the White House mansion, in accordance with industry standards, to avoid accidental damage to the structure” and stated that “to date, the government’s assessment following the removal of the East Colonnade and East Wing buildings is that the condition of the east facade of the White House mansion is perfectly preserved.” »

Further in the memo, Fisher said that beyond the ballroom, the administration has plans “to beautify the visitor experience,” including in areas such as Lafayette Park, Sherman Park, First Division Park and Ellipse, and said it is also working to establish a “higher quality and more efficient visitor security screening center at the White House.”