Trump, Touting His Prowess as Builder, Floats Plan To Paint Historic Eisenhower Executive Office Building White

Fresh from demolishing the White House’s East Wing, President Trump is considering a controversial new look for another historic Washington landmark: painting the Eisenhower Executive Office Building entirely white. The president is actively “getting bids right now from painters,” he said during an interview this week with Laura Ingraham on Fox News.Not everyone in Washington loves the idea, especially not a coalition of prominent historical preservation groups that has filed a lawsuit against Mr. Trump, aiming to block his plan.Located just west of the White House, the EEOB — once known as the War Department — is a massive granite structure built between 1871 and 1888.A striking example of the French Second Empire architectural style with its ornate detailing and mansard roofs, it currently houses various executive offices, including that of the vice president.During the interview, Mr. Trump presented before-and-after renderings of his vision, depicting the building’s gray facade transformed into a stark white. “Look at that, how beautiful that is with a coat of paint,” he told Ms. Ingraham. “It’s all painting. Most of it’s painting. It’s cleaning and pointing and painting.”When Ms. Ingraham, who once worked in the building, questioned whether the repainted edifice would resemble “a big white blob,” the president disagreed. “No, no,” he replied. “What it does is, it brings out all the detail.”Mr. Trump argued that the building, which was criticized by some as “a monstrosity” at the time of its completion, has been historically misjudged.“When that building was built, people considered it to be a really ugly building,” he said. “And I looked at it, and some other people [looked at it], and it’s one of the most beautiful buildings ever built.”The president criticized the building’s current color, stating, “Gray is for funerals.” He believes a white exterior would better highlight the intricate architectural elements, such as the columns surrounding each window.However the coalition of historical preservation groups seeking to block his plan argues that the proposed alteration would cause irreparable harm to the National Historic Landmark.Preservationists contend that its historical significance and unique architectural character are precisely what make it worthy of protection. The lawsuit, filed in federal court, claims the president is overstepping his authority and circumventing established preservation laws that govern modifications to National Historic Landmarks.“A building’s historical value isn’t a matter of personal taste,” a spokesman for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, one of the plaintiffs, told The Washington Post. “To arbitrarily paint over the original granite facade is to erase a century of history. It’s an act of architectural vandalism, not restoration.”Another group also objected. “The Eisenhower Executive Office Building is one of our nation’s most significant architectural landmarks,” Greg Werkheiser, founding partner of the Cultural Heritage Partners law firm, told The Washington Post.“Any plan to alter that … like the President revealed this week, especially an irreversible action like painting it all white, must be preceded by a transparent public process that includes expert consultation and a full hard look at potential harms.”Despite its initial detractors, who included Mark Twain and President Harry Truman, the EEOB was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1969. In 1957, a commission recommended its demolition, but President Dwight D. Eisenhower, whose name was attached to the building in 1999, ultimately saved it from that fate. The General Services Administration, along with SmithGroup, conducted an extensive, multi-year restoration in the early 2000s.The proposed paint job is the latest in a series of ambitious and often controversial architectural changes Mr. Trump has undertaken at the White House since returning to office. Previous projects include the demolition of the East Wing to construct a new ballroom, the paving of the grassy area in Rose Garden (which left the plants intact), and additions of gold decor throughout the West Wing.“I built many ballrooms, and many buildings, and that’s my greatest strength, actually,” Mr. Trump said in the same interview. “Nobody can build like me.”While he is soliciting bids for the project, Trump stopped short of confirming the renovation would definitely proceed. “I don’t even know if I’m going to do it yet,” he told Ms. Ingraham. “We’ll see. It would be a great addition to Washington.”

Trump, Touting His Prowess as Builder, Floats Plan To Paint Historic Eisenhower Executive Office Building White

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