National Capital Planning Commission Requests More Information on Eisenhower Executive Office Building Paint Proposal

The National Capital Planning Commission voted unanimously on Thursday to ask for details from the White House on its plan to paint the exterior of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. The commission did not approve the project on Thursday and instead directed the White House to provide additional information at a future date.

Ryan Erb, the construction operations and facilities manager in the White House Office of Administration, discussed details with members of the National Capital Planning Commission on Thursday.

5 million. 5 million as a preliminary estimate just for the exterior paint job. The White House would use money already designated for maintenance and upkeep projects to pay for the painting.

The White House has put forward two proposals: painting the entire gray granite exterior white, or painting most of the building white while leaving the granite base as is. Painting the entire building is preferred by officials. ” The proposed painting of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building is one piece of a broader plan President Trump has said will make Washington more beautiful.

President Trump is razing the East Wing to build a 1,000-person ballroom. Across the street, Lafayette Park is closed for renovations, including restoring the fountains. “President Trump continues to beautify the White House and our Nation’s Capital and is giving it the glory it deserves — something everyone should celebrate,” White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said in an emailed statement.

The paint is being tested on granite samples from a quarry in Maine. No testing can be done on the Eisenhower building itself. “The initial data was encouraging for this process,” Erb said. “Unfortunately, we can’t rush that process.

We’re trying to get all the data first,” Erb told the commissioners. The Eisenhower Executive Office Building opened in 1888 after 17 years of construction. It is a National Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

She was among 11 people who commented at Thursday’s meeting. Most of the 11 commenters urged the commission to reject the proposal. The National Trust for Historic Preservation said the “subtle and rich colors” of EEOB’s granite exterior are “central to its historic significance” and that the proposal would fail to protect those character-defining features.

More than 2,000 public comments submitted to the agency were strongly opposed to the plan. The commission, chaired by top Trump White House aide Will Scharf, approved staff comments on the proposal.

U.S. Commission of Fine Arts recently asked the White House to present additional information, including about paint testing, before a vote to approve it. A lawsuit against the proposed paint job is pending in federal court.