The National Capital Planning Commission voted unanimously on Thursday to ask for details from the White House on its plan to paint the exterior of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building white.
The Trump administration wants to beautify the 19th-century landmark in Washington, D.C., but preservationists are concerned that the aesthetic makeover may irreversibly damage the granite.
The panel wants to know how the paint will be applied and the risks associated with the paint job, including the possibility of water infiltration. The chemicals found in paint can often strip away the granite’s sealant, leaving the stone exposed to stains and damage.
The commission is also seeking answers on long-term maintenance costs associated with the project.
Speaking at the NCPC’s Thursday meeting, White House official Ryan Erb said Trump’s plan to paint the building may cost at least $7.5 million.
In a 15-page proposal submitted to the NCPC, the White House argued the Eisenhower office “has been largely neglected” since it was built in the late 1800s. Susan Eisenhower, the granddaughter of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, whom the building was later named after, insisted the office has not been ignored.
“Despite the assertions that the EEOB has been neglected and needs to be repainted promptly, I walked around the EEOB several weeks ago and was impressed that the building appears to be well maintained,” she wrote in a personal essay dated May 2. “Please look at the pictures I took and have added to this website’s gallery. The building positively sparkles.”
The building’s namesake heir is advising the administration to not rush the project before any “irreversible decisions” are made. She says the proposed White House ballroom should be constructed first, so that planners can assess the impact it “will have on the aesthetics of this iconic area.”
The federal government cites the lack of “symbolic cohesion” that the Eisenhower building demonstrates, sitting next to the White House, as another reason for the paint plan.
With a gray exterior, the office building could be painted partly or entirely white. The former plan would leave the granite basements gray and the top superstructure white. The administration prefers the latter idea.
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Once its questions are answered, the NCPC will consider approving the plan. It is also under review by the Commission of Fine Arts, another federal agency with Trump-appointed members. While approving the preliminary plans last month, the second panel preferred the entire facade to be painted white.
A lawsuit that preservationists brought against the proposal is pending in federal court.