By Reena Bhardwaj
Washington DC [US], August 1 : The White House announced on Thursday (local time) that it will begin construction of a large event space christened as the White House State Ballroom which will be an addition of approximately 90,000 total square feet of innately designed space, with a seated capacity of 650 peoplea significant increase from the 200-person seated capacity in the East Room of the White House.
In an official statement, the White House said, "For 150 years, Presidents, Administrations, and White House Staff have longed for a large event space on the White House complex that can hold substantially more guests than currently allowed. President Donald J. Trump has expressed his commitment to solving this problem on behalf of future Administrations and the American people."
"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 functions honouring world leaders and other countries without having to install a large and unsightly tent approximately 100 yards away from the main building entrance", the statement mentioned.
It is thus informed that the White House State Ballroom would be a much-needed and exquisite addition of approximately 90,000 total square feet of innately designed and carefully crafted space, with a seated capacity of 650 peoplea significant increase from the 200-person seated capacity in the East Room of the White House.
It mentioned that in recent weeks, the US President has held several meetings with members of the White House Staff, the National Park Service, the White House Military Office, and the United States Secret Service to discuss design features and planning.
President Trump has chosen McCrery Architects as the lead architect, which is well-known for their classical architectural design and is based in our nation's capital. CEO Jim McCrery said: "Presidents in the modern era have faced challenges hosting major events at the White House because it has been untouched since President Harry Truman. I am honoured that President Trump has entrusted me to help bring this beautiful and necessary renovation to The People's House, while preserving the elegance of its classical design and historical importance."
The construction team will be headed by Clark Construction, and the engineering team will be led by AECOM. The project will begin in September 2025, and it is expected to be completed long before the end of President Trump's term.
The White House statement noted that US President Trump and other patriotic donors have generously committed to donating the funds necessary to build this approximately USD 200 million structure. The United States Secret Service will provide the necessary security enhancements and modifications.
Providing further details on the Ballroom, the statement mentioned, "The White House Ballroom will be substantially separated from the main building of the White House, but at the same time, it's theme and architectural heritage will be almost identical. The site of the new ballroom will be where the small, heavily changed, and reconstructed East Wing currently sits. The East Wing was constructed in 1902 and has been renovated and changed many times, with a second story added in 1942."
Citing the White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, the statement mentioned, "President Trump is a builder at heart and has an extraordinary eye for detail. The President and the Trump White House are fully committed to working with the appropriate organisations to preserving the special history of the White House while building a beautiful ballroom that can be enjoyed by future Administrations and generations of Americans to come."
The White House said that it will continue to provide the American public with updates on this project at whitehouse.gov/visit. The details were also reiterated by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt during the press briefing on Thursday (local time).
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