The White House told the National Capital Planning Commission on Thursday that officials could not save the East Wing of the White House for President Donald Trump’s planned ballroom, arguing that structural problems and long-term repair needs made demolition the more cost-effective route. Speaking at a public meeting, Josh Fisher of the White House Office of Administration laid out the administration’s case for why renovation was not a workable option and described the ballroom proposal as both a permanent event space and a broader set of changes.
Fisher told commissioners that an unstable colonnade, water leakage, mold contamination and other issues drove the cost analysis toward tearing down the East Wing and rebuilding rather than renovating it. He said he provided the commission with the results of that cost review, explaining that demolition and reconstruction offered what he characterized as the lowest total cost ownership and the most effective long-term strategy.
The meeting also included a presentation by the project’s architect, Shalom Baranes, who showed renderings and views of the White House complex from the north and south with the addition. Baranes said the design could include adding a second story to the West Wing colonnade, a change he said would help make the White House more uniform with the new ballroom on the east side, but he also said it would “dramatically alter” the iconic space outside the Oval Office.
Fisher and Baranes said the planned work involves more than the ballroom itself. They also described plans to streamline visitor access to the White House and to make improvements to Lafayette Park across the street, while leaving details of those upgrades unspecified during the commission’s discussion.
Commission members raised questions, with Phil Mendelson—chairman of the D.C. Council—pressing officials on what he said were concerns about the ballroom’s size and location. Mendelson asked whether the planned ceiling height of 38 to 40 feet (11.5 to 12 meters) could still be lowered before the final structure was finished, and Fisher and Baranes said the number was not fully set. Mendelson said it still appeared “overwhelming” to the existing building.
Baranes responded that the concept was to set the ballroom’s height so it matches the rest of the White House, saying “The heights will match exactly.” After listening to Mendelson’s questions and others, Will Scharf said he expected the commission to approve the project upon completion, telling reporters afterward, “I certainly, based on the presentation today, I fully expect that the commission will … approve this project.” Scharf added, “I think you just saw a very positive response to these preliminary drawings,” and he said Mendelson’s concerns would be addressed.
Mendelson also asked why the ballroom project had not been presented in its entirety to the commission before demolition of the East Wing began. Fisher said some aspects of the construction were of a “top secret nature” and needed to be handled, and Scharf repeated his earlier assertion that the planning commission usually does not have jurisdiction over site work and demolition for projects, including at the White House.
The commission’s agenda limits participation: only commissioners were allowed to ask questions and give feedback at the Thursday meeting. The commission said it expects a more formal review—including public testimony and votes—after the White House submits a more detailed proposal. Its next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 5.
Scharf also argued during the presentation that the White House needed a larger, more elegant space for major functions and recalled visiting Windsor Castle last year with Trump. He said the president, who is expected to host King Charles III of Great Britain, would be hosted “more likely than not” in a tent on the South Lawn with porta-potties, framing the ballroom as a permanent alternative to temporary arrangements.
The White House submitted its ballroom plans to the National Capital Planning Commission in December, according to the report. A lawsuit filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation seeks to halt the construction, with the trust accusing the Trump administration of violating federal laws by proceeding before the project went through independent reviews, congressional approval and a public comment process. Carol Quillen, president and CEO of the National Trust, later described the presentation as a “good and necessary first step” but urged the administration to comply with legally required review and approval processes before starting construction.
A commission website summary for the “East Wing Modernization Project” said the purpose is to establish a “permanent, secure event space within the White House grounds” that increases capacity for official state functions, reduces reliance on temporary tents and support facilities, and “protects the historic integrity and cultural landscape” of the White House and its grounds. The summary also said a comprehensive White House design plan prepared in 2000 identified a need for expanded event space to address growing visitor demand and provide a venue for significant events, and that successive administrations had recognized the need as an ongoing priority.
The White House announced last July that it planned a 90,000-square-foot (8,400-square-meter) space on the east side of the complex for 650 seated guests at an estimated cost of $200 million, and Trump said it would be paid for with private donations, including from him. The administration later increased the number of guests to 999, demolished the East Wing in October, and in December updated the price tag to $400 million, according to the report. The White House has said it would complete the project before Trump’s term ends in January 2029.