White House ballroom construction, costing $200 million, set to commence in September.
The White House is set to undergo a significant change with the construction of a new ballroom, slated to begin in September 2025. This will mark the first structural alteration to the Executive Mansion since the addition of the Truman balcony several decades ago.
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles has confirmed that President Trump is fully committed to this project. Wiles emphasised Trump's extraordinary eye for detail, stating that he is keen on preserving the White House's history while building the ballroom. The offices in the East Wing, including the first lady's office, will be temporarily relocated during construction.
The 90,000-square-foot ballroom, designed by McCrery Architects, will have a seating capacity of 650 people. It is intended to host major official events that the current White House cannot accommodate without external tents.
The project's funding comes from President Trump and unspecified private donors, collectively referred to as "patriot donors" or "private donors." The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, confirmed that these donors have committed to raising the approximately $200 million in construction costs. No specific donors or organisations have been publicly disclosed.
The ballroom construction will be overseen by Clark Construction, with AECOM providing engineering support. Security during construction will be provided by the U.S. Secret Service.
Workers are currently finishing a project to replace the lawn in the Rose Garden with stone. Additionally, massive flagpoles have been installed to fly the American flag on the north and south lawns. The ballroom construction is expected to be completed before President Trump's term ends in early 2029.
[1] https://www.whitehouse.gov/ballroom-project/ [2] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/03/01/trump-white-house-ballroom/ [3] https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/01/us/politics/trump-white-house-ballroom.html
- The proposed ballroom project at the White House, financed by President Trump and unspecified private donors, is not just about real-estate expansion, but also an opportunity for investing in the historical preservation and function of the Executive Mansion.
- As the construction of the new ballroom progresses, politics may play a significant role in determining the transparency of the donors, with general-news outlets eagerly awaiting any disclosure of specific names or organizations involved in this multi-million dollar project.
