The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) presided today over a packed agenda, but the main draw was a final vote on the White House East Wing Modernization Project, the Trump administration’s proposal for a ballroom designed by Shalom Baranes Associates.
NCPC approved the $400 million project that will deliver a new 90,000-square-foot ballroom on White House grounds above what Trump recently called a “secret” military complex in the basement. On Sunday, Trump told reporters that “the ballroom essentially becomes a shed for what’s being built under.”
“Some of the president’s statements about the ballroom are not consistent with what we have before us today,” NCPC chairman Will Scharf said.
There was no presentation by Shalom Baranes Associates, and there were no public comments at the NCPC hearing.
The NCPC last deliberated on the ballroom proposal on March 5, when NCPC Chairman Will Scharf greenlit the project for one last review, resulting in today’s final vote.
The Judge Said Stop
The final vote on April 2 took place just days after U.S. District Judge Richard Leon blocked Trump from moving forward on the ballroom in court on March 31, when he granted a preliminary injunction request by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Judge Leon affirmed that the ballroom proposal requires Congressional approval and, until that happens, it is illegal for it to proceed.
Even with NCPC approval, the ballroom project cannot proceed due to Judge Leon’s ruling on March 31. Per the Associated Press, Leon delayed enforcement of his order for two weeks because “halting an ongoing construction project may raise logistical issues.”
Trump has said the ruling doesn’t apply because private donors are funding the ballroom. But he also said that the work on “underground bunkers and other security measures around the White House grounds” will go forward. These items are funded by taxpayer dollars.
The project’s momentum hasn’t stopped ongoing criticism.
The New York Times recently covered its design, writing that it hasn’t received the proper scrutiny. The annotated story pointed out a multitude of design problems related to views out from the portico and other elements.
Edward Keegan, writing in the Chicago Tribune, wrote about the project under a headline declaring that Trump is embracing “bastardized classical architecture for America’s 250th.”
Other Matters
Separately, the NCPC also deliberated today on the Washington Commanders stadium project designed by HKS. It recommended adding a second Metro station to accommodate visitors.
The NCPC additionally discussed the recently proposed White House Visitor Screening Facility by AECOM.
Also on the docket were concept plans for Pennsylvania Avenue by DAVID RUBIN Land Collective and George Washington Memorial Parkway, a National Park Service initiative.
A lawsuit hearing in regard to the Trump administration’s plans for the Kennedy Center is set to take place on April 29, the Cultural Landscape Foundation told AN.