President Trump has hired a new architect to oversee the design of the White House ballroom in place of James McCrery, who reportedly has disagreed with his client on the size and scale of the project. Shalom Baranes Associates, a Washington, DC-based firm, will take over, CBS News reports, while James McCrery will remain as a consultant. White House officials said the switch was made as the project enters a new phase that requires different expertise.
"Shalom is an accomplished architect whose work has shaped the architectural identity of our nation's capital for decades and his experience will be a great asset to the completion of this project," White House spokesman Davis Ingle said. McCrery ran the project for more than three months before stopping his work in late October. An official told the Washington Post that the issues were the capacity of McCrery's small firm and its ability to meet deadlines. Trump's most recent estimates for the project are that the 90,000-square-foot addition will hold nearly 1,000 people and cost $300 million. Sources tell CBS that McCrery will remain on the team.
Will Scharf, chairman of the National Capital Planning Commission, said the White House will submit construction plans to the panel this month. He said the review process will proceed at a "normal and deliberative pace," per CBS. On Thursday, Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal introduced a bill that would require the commission to review any demolition work at the White House before it begins; Scharf has said that's not within its authority now. The bill, called the No Palaces Act, would also require congressional approval for privately funded construction projects at the White House.
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