Preserve RI's Public Comment on the White House's Proposed Ballroom Addition

March 2, 2026

Mr. William Scharf

Chair

National Capital Planning Commission

401 Ninth Street NW, Suite 500N

Washington, DC 20004

Re: Proposed Construction of White House Ballroom NCPC File Number 8733

Dear Mr. Scharf:

Preserve Rhode Island (Preserve RI) serves as the statewide advocate for Rhode Island’s historic places. Our advocacy efforts extend beyond the borders of our state when the interests of Rhode Islanders are at stake. Significant architectural landmarks, such as the White House, are important pieces of American culture that belong to all Americans, and thus we respectfully submit the following comments regarding the Office of the Executive Residence’s current proposal for the construction of a 90,000 square-foot ballroom addition to the White House.

The White House is an American icon; its imagery is ubiquitous with our nation’s founding and its democracy.  Designed by Irish architect James Hoban, the Executive Residence embodies Georgian and neoclassical architectural principles. Its architectural legacy, however, did not end with James Hoban. Charles McKim of the noted architectural firm McKim, Mead and White was tasked by President Theodore Roosevelt with restoring the White House and reconstructing the formerly demolished East Wing. Rhode Islanders are familiar with a number of McKim, Mead and White’s notable projects, as the firm worked extensively in Rhode Island, creating some of the state’s most iconic architectural landmarks (e.g., the Rhode Island State House in Providence and Newport’s Isaac Bell House).

Preserve RI does not believe the proposed ballroom lives up to the legacy began by Hoban and continued by architects like McKim. According to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, new construction on historic sites should respect the “size, scale and proportion, and massing to protect the integrity of the property and its environment.” The proposed ballroom is approximately 2.36 million cubic feet, compared to the 875 thousand cubic feet of the Executive Residence. The size of this addition will completely disrupt the balance of the White House and undo and overshadow its classical design.

Preserve RI recognizes the need for increased event space for the nation’s Executive Branch. However, we urge the Office of the Executive Residence to consider making changes to their proposal to make the ballroom addition’s size, scale, materials, design, workmanship, and feeling to be in keeping with the historic architectural fabric, which it should not dwarf or eclipse. This primarily involves reducing the size of the visible structure, such as moving portions underground. Other important considerations include protecting views of the Executive Residence from other historic landmarks such as the United States Capitol Building and respecting the classical balance of the Executive Residence and its East and West Wings.

As Rhode Islanders, we are fortunate to live in a state which values its historic landmarks and is deeply connected to its history. Preserve RI urges the National Capital Planning Commission to act on this public commentary so that additional irrevocable mistakes that all Americans will have to live with are not made. Americans deserve to live in a country that preserves – not desecrates – its historic landmarks. As we celebrate the 250^th anniversary of this great nation, it’s essential that the Commission stand against desecration and in honor of our collective past.

Respectfully,

Sheryl Hack

Executive Director

Preserve Rhode Island

cc: Jessica Bowron, Acting Director, National Park Service

Ed Forst, Administrator, General Services Administration

Turkiya Lowe, Acting Federal Preservation Officer, National Park Service

Thomas Luebke, FAIA, Secretary and Federal Preservation Officer, Commission of Fine Arts

Kristi Tunstall Williams, Federal Preservation Officer, General Services Administration