White House begins demolishing part of East Wing for Trump ballroom

Parts of the East Wing of the White House have been demolished, as construction begins on US President Donald Trump’s new ballroom.

Construction crews on Monday demolished huge portions of the covered entryway and windows in the East Wing, which Trump said was being “completely updated.”

The president previously said the $250m (£186m) White House ballroom would be “close to” the existing structure but he would not change it.

“It won’t interfere with the existing building. It won’t. It will be near it but it won’t touch it — and I have full respect for the existing building, which I’m a big fan of,” Trump said in July. “It’s my favorite place. It’s my favorite place. I love it.”

Trump announced the construction in a social media post, saying “groundbreaking has been broken” on the “much needed” auditorium space.

“For more than 150 years, every president has dreamed of having a White House ballroom to accommodate people for major parties, state visits, etc.,” he wrote.

He said the project is being privately funded by “many generous patriots.” Their identities remain unclear because the White House has not announced any names of who might fund it.

The White House has served as the historic residence of the President of the United States for two centuries. The east wing was built in 1902 and was last modified in 1942.

From the south side of the building, the BBC saw several large pieces of construction equipment – some decorated with American flags – near the east wing.

Trump wrote in his post that the East Wing was “completely separate” from the White House, although it is attached to the main structure.

The covered entrance, which spans much of the south side of the east wing, appears to have been destroyed, as concrete debris and metal cables can be clearly seen from several hundred metres.

Although the White House and its adjacent parks are managed by the National Park Service (NPS), the president generally has broad powers to make renovations.

Robert K. said: Sutton, former chief historian for the NPS, told the BBC that there is always public concern when the White House is under construction.

“There’s been controversy about anything that happens with regard to the White House pretty much since it was built,” he said.

The NPS has strict guidelines and review process for any construction. This includes things like reviewing in-depth project plans, architect screening, designs, and cost reviews.

He said that did not happen here.

“This building is very important. I think it’s considered the most important executive building in the world – but we don’t know what’s going on and I think that’s completely inappropriate.”

Mr. Sutton pointed out that figures for the number of people the new hall can host range from 600 to more than 900. What is even more worrying is that the building houses the US President and is highly secure, with additional measures aimed at protecting against potential terrorist attacks.

The White House has released some information about the project, including drawings that give an idea of ​​its size and a new interior design that includes seating for hundreds and luxurious gold chandeliers.

She said construction would begin in September, and that Trump had met with officials from the National Park Service and the U.S. Secret Service, among others, about the project.

The Trump administration said it selected Clark Construction to head the project, while McCreary Architects designed it. The White House said the Secret Service “will provide necessary security improvements and modifications” to the building.

“I am honored that President Trump has commissioned me to help undertake this beautiful and necessary renovation of the People’s House, while preserving the elegance of its classic design and historical significance,” said Jim McCreary, President of McCreary Architects.

Typically, an extensive review process is undertaken for projects like this to ensure there is a function to any changes and that the White House sticks to its distinctive look, Sutton said, noting that these changes will last after presidents and generations.

He said he was concerned that rushing this process would be a reflection of Trump and his distinctive style rather than the country’s history.

“It’s always been called the People’s House,” he said.

Trump made a number of changes to the White House this year, including redecorating the Oval Office with a variety of gold decorations and paving the lawn in the Rose Garden with concrete to add tables and chairs.

The new White House renovation project has also been criticized by the Society of Architectural Historians, an international non-profit group that studies the preservation of historic buildings around the world.

In a statement last week, the group said it “expresses grave concern about the proposed additions to the ballroom,” which it noted “would be the first major change to its exterior appearance in the past 83 years (since the East Wing was built in its current form in 1942).”

“Therefore, such a major change to a historic building of this imported form must follow a rigorous and deliberate design and review process.”

The American Institute of Architects also expressed concern, calling for a transparent review of the project.

But Trump is certainly not the first president to leave his mark on the building.

President Barack Obama, who preceded Trump, converted the White House tennis court so it could host basketball games as well.

the White House pool It was converted into the White House Press Room during Richard Nixon’s presidency. Briefings are now still held regularly in the room where presidents once swam.

The indoor pool was originally installed in 1933 for President Franklin Roosevelt, who swam regularly for exercise because he had been diagnosed with polio more than a decade earlier.

After it closed, Gerald Ford installed an outdoor swimming pool in 1975.

Before that, one of the largest renovations came under Harry Truman, which saw the complete demolition and rebuilding of the White House from 1948 to 1952. Truman was moved from living in the White House during the overall project.