President Donald Trump hired a new architect on Thursday to lead the construction of his ambitious White House ballroom project after the previous architect clashed with Trump over its projected size.
Shalom Baranes Associates will replace James McCreery II.
“As we begin to transition into the next stage of development on the White House Ballroom, the Administration is excited to share that the highly talented Shalom Baranes has joined the team of experts to carry out President Trump’s vision on building what will be the greatest addition to the White House since the Oval Office — the White House Ballroom,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle said.
The extensive portfolio of Shalom Baranes Associates includes renovations on the Pentagon, the Interior Department, and the American Red Cross headquarters, among many other projects.
“Shalom is an accomplished architect whose work has shaped the architectural identity of our nation’s capital for decades,” Ingle added, “and his experience will be a great asset to the completion of this project.”
McCreery remains attached to the project as a consultant, per CNN. White House officials denied he was fired.
Before the switch, tensions had been simmering between the initial lead architect and the president. McCreery disagreed with Trump’s plan to replace the demolished East Wing with a 90,000-square-foot ballroom, the Washington Post reported last week. The White House itself measures about 55,000 square feet, meaning the ballroom would dwarf the main building.
The scope of the project has increased substantially since the White House first announced it over the summer. The initial cost amounted to $200 million, but the new estimated cost totals at least $300 million. Trump wants the ballroom to accommodate up to 1,000 people.
The project generated much controversy, especially among Democrats, who opposed the destruction of the entire East Wing and argued the ballroom is merely a vanity project for Trump.
Unlike McCreery, all six design review panelists on the Commission of Fine Arts who oversaw the planned ballroom and proposed triumphal arch were previously fired by Trump. The terminated commissioners were all appointed by former President Joe Biden.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM CONSTRUCTION
The White House is preparing to submit the ballroom’s design plans to the National Capital Planning Commission sometime this month, the commission’s chairman said Thursday. The 12-member commission includes three Trump appointees, four officials serving in Washington, D.C., and five officials in the Trump administration.
Construction began in September, followed by the demolition of the East Wing in October. In July, the White House said the project is expected to be completed before the end of Trump’s second term in January 2029.