The British Army redecorates the White House, 1814. Painting by Tom Freeman for the White House Historical Association.
A tenant in the Washington DC public housing unit at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW has irreparably damaged one-third of the structure. He plans to build a 90,000-square-foot glass-walled funhouse in its place, and will definitely not be getting his damage deposit back. The resident, one Donald John Trump, has also redecorated the building’s office suite to look like a 19th century Macau bordello.
The historic pre-demolition structure was digitally scanned, so maybe it can be 3D printed for the next tenant. That’s assuming the current occupant leaves when his lease terminates in January 2029.
More:
“Experts Raise Concerns Over Trump’s White House Ballroom Renovation Plans,” Ashley Ahn, New York Times
“Trump’s teardown of White House’s East Wing raises questions of authority,” Ryan Mancini, The Hill
“What donors to Trump’s White House ballroom stand to gain from the federal government,” Laura Doan and Julia Ingram, CBS News
“Trump’s White House Ballroom Sparks Questions About Funding and Ethics,” Alan Jaffe, FactCheck.org
“East Wing demolition isn’t the first time Trump has ruffled feathers with a wrecking ball,” Dan Morrison, USA Today
“From the gilded Oval Office to a new monument: A look at Trump’s renovation projects,” Amanda Macias, FoxBusiness
Update:
“At the White House, tourists can’t look away from the East Wing demolition, Paul Schwartzman. Washington Post
For procurement, design, and construction nerds:
“AIA Advocates for Preservation and Transparency in Proposed $200 Million [sic] White House Expansion,”American Institute of Architects
“White House East Wing Razed for $300M Ballroom,” Bryan Gottlieb, ENR
“Clark nabs $200M [sic] White House ballroom project,” Zachary Phillips, ConstructionDive
“Contractors are bringing ‘sample slabs of granite’ to White House for Trump to review ‘himself,'” Lesley Abravanel, Newsbreak
“White House Ballroom Build Advances as Oversight Gaps Emerge,” Bryan Gottlieb, ENR
Nerds:
Even though the site is federal property, this project is privately-funded, and the bidding process was not transparent. Was this a no-bid contract? Let us know.
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Short Link: https://wp.me/p6sb6-HsT
Top image: “Days of Destruction: August 24-25, 1814” by Tom Freeman, painted for the White House Historical Association.
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