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federal committee he Oversees federal construction projects The District of Columbia is set to hold a public hearing on the President donald trumpThe massive White House Ballroom Building project broke ground on January 8, months after the President ordered the demolition of the historic White House East Wing to make way for a planned $400 million event venue.
The National Capital Planning Commission said last week it would host White House officials who will present information about the “East Wing Modernization Project” in a public notice announcing the meeting, marking the beginning of a month-long review of the project by the commission.
“This is an opportunity for the project applicant to present the project and for the commissioners to ask questions and provide general comments prior to the formal review, which we expect to take place this spring,” the document states.
Last week, a federal judge in Washington ordered the Trump administration to provide plans for the project to the commission and another federal committee, the Commission of Fine Arts, by the end of the month after the National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit seeking an emergency order. Stop construction on White House land It had failed to submit its plans to both bodies for legally mandated review before Trump ordered the demolition of the East Wing to make way for the planned ballroom.
Judge Richard Lyon, who was succeeded by George W. Bush, said the court would “hold the government to its word” on submitting plans to both federal committees for review.
In court documents, the Trump administration said above-ground construction for the ballroom would begin in April, assuming the commission approves the plans.
It is unlikely the body will reject Trump’s plans for the controversial ballroom project as the president has cobbled it together with his friends and allies, including White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf, who was named chairman of the commission by Trump last July.
Scharf previously defended Trump’s decision in October to reduce the century-old East Wing to rubble, arguing that the commission’s authority pertains only to construction rather than demolition or site preparation work.
The White House official’s argument was echoed by the commission in a document published Tuesday where it said federal law gives it no authority to review “demolition of buildings or general site preparation.”
Earlier this month, Trump had claimed that the project could be completed in a year and a half, much earlier than previous estimates released by the White House.
The $400 million project will be funded by private donors. Contributors include tech giants Amazon, Apple Google and Microsoft, crypto companies Coinbase and Ripple, the Winklevoss twins and the Commerce Secretary’s family. Howard LutnickAccording to a list provided by the White House.
Democrats have introduced legislation to put guardrails on the project by requiring more transparency around contributions banning donations from individuals With conflict of interest. This law will also prevent the President and Vice President from making donations.
The White House first unveiled plans for the ballroom in July, when Press Secretary Carolyn Leavitt told reporters that construction of the 90,000-square-foot ballroom – which she described as a “much-needed and excellent addition” to the “intuitively designed and carefully crafted space” – would begin in September.
“The White House is one of the most beautiful and historic buildings in the world, yet the White House is currently unable to Host major ceremonies in honor of world leaders And there is no need to set up a big and unsightly tent about 100 yards from the entrance of the main building in other countries,” she said.
Leavitt said the new “White House State Ballroom” will be a much-needed and outstanding venue, totaling approximately 90,000 square feet, with a seating capacity of 650 people – a significant increase from the 200-person seating capacity in the White House’s East Room.
In the following months, Trump Replaced James McCreary IIThe original architect overseeing the ballroom project, which if built to the president’s specifications would have dwarfed the White House and West Wing, reportedly resigned after clashing with him about the size of the proposed structure.