Trump Replaces Lead Architect on $300 Million Gilded White House Ballroom Project
President Donald Trump has replaced the architect overseeing his ambitious and controversial $300 million gilded ballroom project at the White House, the administration confirmed on Thursday. Architect James McCrery II, who was originally handpicked by the President and whose firm, McCrery Architects, had led the design efforts for over three months, has stepped back from the lead role. The new architect appointed to guide the project into its next phase is Shalom Baranes, a prominent Washington, D.C., designer with decades of experience on major federal commissions.
Sources familiar with the project noted that the decision followed weeks of disagreements between President Trump and Mr. McCrery, particularly concerning the President’s continuous demand to expand the size of the already massive 90,000-square-foot ballroom. Originally budgeted at $200 million, the cost estimate has now risen to $300 million, reflecting the expanded scale of the structure, which is being built to replace the recently demolished East Wing. Concerns also reportedly surfaced about the ability of Mr. McCrery’s smaller, boutique firm to manage the rapid deadlines and sheer magnitude of such a high-profile, complex federal project.
White House spokesperson David Ingle issued a statement praising the new selection, saying, “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.” Ingle added that Baranes, whose past work includes the modernization of the main U.S. Treasury building and post-9/11 reconstruction at the Pentagon, is an accomplished architect whose experience will be a “great asset to the completion of this project.” The White House maintained that Mr. McCrery will remain involved in the development in a “valuable consulting” role. The project, which is being funded by private donors, has drawn significant criticism from historians and preservationists due to the demolition of the historic East Wing to accommodate the new structure, which is designed to seat nearly one thousand guests.
