Images of the demolition of the East Wing at the White House stood in stark contrast to the modest alterations the White House originally made in July.
when first announced to the publicPresident Donald Trump said the ballroom project “it will not interfere with the current building“and would sit”close but not touching him.” Instead, bulldozers tore through centuries-old walls and demolished the east wing this month.
In its place, in what is now a sprawling site of dirt and equipment, the White House plans a 90,000-square-foot, $300 million ballroom.
Historic renovations come with surprises
Although the project surprised many that expected a minor renovationcontractors say scope changes are far from rare on historic renovation projects.
“When you’re working on a historic restoration, it’s almost inevitable that you’ll run into some surprises once you start opening walls,” said Ralph Esposito, Suffolk’s national president. “These structures often have undocumented changes, outdated material, or hidden conditions that are only revealed once work begins.”
Esposito encountered this during the Suffolk renovation of the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. As with many historic buildings, the original drawings do not always match reality. A beam listed as one foot wide on the plans turned out to be three feet wide, Esposito said.
In the end, the team converted the 1931 Art Deco hotel into a mix of luxury residences and hotel rooms.
“These discoveries can lead to design modifications, sequencing adjustments, or even scope changes to ensure the integrity and safety of the building is preserved,” Esposito told Construction Dive. “On historic projects, it’s not uncommon for the scope of the project to expand once demolition begins and hidden challenges are highlighted.”
Contractors say rehabilitation projects often need to be assessed when complete rebuilding makes more sense than preserving what’s there. That’s a balance that can vary greatly from project to project, Esposito said.
“The intent is, whenever possible, to preserve and restore the building to its original state and purpose,” Esposito told Construction Dive. “This is a very thoughtful and collaborative process that includes reference consultants and preservation, property and construction expertise.”
Reform of the east wing project
However, this did not seem to be the case in the East Wing. Its almost complete destruction was a surprise from the start. In fact, ACECO, the Silver Spring, Maryland-based contractor leading the demolition phase, reported receiving the most criticism online. The company has since taken down his site.
Then, last week, Trump fired all six members of the Commission of Fine Artsa federal board that advises presidents and Congress on the aesthetics and design of major projects in Washington, according to NBC News. The CFA typically reviews projects like Trump’s ballroom. According to NBC News, the White House said it would appoint new members.
Meanwhile, the project price since then, it has risen to $300 million, according to the Wall Street Journal. When the White House tapped Clark Construction in September to lead the overall effort, initial estimates ran as high as $200 million.
But the project’s profile as historical reconstruction is not unique, especially in Washington.
For example, just blocks away from the White House, HITT Contracting faced its own challenges National Geographic Museum of Exploration. The project consisted of interconnected buildings, some on the National Register of Historic Places, that remained occupied throughout the construction process.
This project was slow and methodical, said Joe Kmiecinski, vice president of site operations for the contractor in Falls Church, Virginia. The team wrote more than 500 methods of procedure documents and met daily with stakeholders to plan each task.
“We’ve just tiptoed through a lot of complicated demolitions and rebuilds while she’s occupied,” Kmiecinski told Construction Dive. “Just looking at everything twice and thrice.”
From this perspective, the speed and scope of the demolition of the east wing and the planned dance space is proceeding at a faster pace.
At the White House in September, Clark, who is based in Bethesda, Md., said he hoped to finish construction before the end of Trump’s second term in 2029. That timeline raised concerns from some that the project would move. too fast and without enough vigilance.
“You don’t see one of these projects going that fast,” said Jonathan Jarvis, former director of the National Park Service. he told the New York Times. “It’s going to be a rush to get it done.”
The White House did not respond to a request for comment on the scope and speed of the project.
