Court order remains in effect halting construction of new ballroom
Washington, D.C.’s regional planning board endorsed President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom on April 2, completing a controversial process amid a court-ordered halt to construction on $400-million project.
The 12-member National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), responsible for approving construction on federal property in the Washington region, approved the plan by a near-unanimous vote following minor staff-recommended modifications to the design initially considered in March. The NCPC’s Trump-appointed chair, Will Scharf, justified proceeding with the vote to move the plan forward, saying that the March 31 court order did not extend to the project’s review process.
Scharf, who also serves as White House staff secretary, was one of three Trump-appointed NCPC members who joined five other commissioners to approve the plan, despite the largely negative response among the more than 35,000 comments submitted by the general public, historic preservations and design professionals. Scharf in his prepared comments that the opposition was more against Trump than the ballroom, and that in time, “this ballroom will be considered every bit as much of a national treasure as the other key components of the White House.”
The only dissenting vote came from D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson, who criticized both the speed of the commission’s review process and the size of the proposed 90,000-sq-ft addition, noting that additional landscaping would be insufficient to soften views of the White House from the south.
“It’s just too large,” Mendelson said.
The design changes from the original March submission included removal of a large staircase on the addition’s south side, addition of an uncovered porch to the southwest side other exterior refinements.
Even with the NCPC’s approval, the ballroom’s future remains clouded by the court order, which prohibits above-ground construction unrelated to security. Published images appear to show significant ground disturbance and steel foundations structures in place. The White House has announced plans to appeal the court order, which asserts only Congress can approve alterations to the property. Opinions of the project on Capitol Hill been mixed, with no effort currently underway to support or strike down the project.
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New NFL Stadium Advances
At same meeting, the NCPC unanimously approved preliminary site and building plans for a new stadium for the National Football League’s Washington Commanders at the former site of RFK Stadium. While commissioners praised the HKS-designed 65,000-seat facility, questions remain about plans for two adjacent 11-story parking garages—nearly two-thirds the height of the stadium, which do not appear on many of the program’s site renderings.
An NCPC staff member explained that the Commanders are developing the garages independently from the stadium, and will submit them separately for commission approval. A request for proposals for design services is currently being prepared.
Residents of an adjacent neighborhood have also expressed concern about the visual, noise and pollution impacts of one of the planned garage structures. The commission staff recommended that designers consider alternative orientations and lower heights for the garages to help resolve these issues.
NCPC’s final vote on the stadium is scheduled for this summer.
