US President Donald Trump proposed to paint the slate grey granite of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building (EEOB) to white to match the White House.
The project is estimated to cost around $7.5 million of taxpayers' funds. Ryan Erb, the construction operations and facilities manager in the White House Office of Administration, which is spearheading the proposal, is discussing the details with members of the National Capital Planning Commission as the federal agency opened its review process. The proposal is not confirmed as the commission seeks further details. The plan is one part of Trump's broader plan to restore the former glory and beauty of Washington, which he claims has been neglected.
"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 after the meeting. The Trump administration claims that it is using the funds allotted for the maintenance and upkeep of the building.
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Where is the conflict?
The National Trust for Historic Preservation said the "subtle and rich colours" of EEOB's granite exterior are "central to its historic significance" and that the project would fail if it does not protect the character-defining features. But US President Donald Trump last year said the grey is a "really bad colour." Mark Twain called the building "the ugliest" in America; similarly, Harry Truman called it "the greatest monstrosity".
"Painting the granite facade of the building white will adversely and permanently alter this important landmark, and should be rejected," said Priya Jain, of the Society of Architectural Historians. She was one of the 11 people who commented at the National Capital Planning Commission on Thursday, most of whom urged the rejection of the proposal.
Technically, President Trump can initiate the process, but he does not have the unilateral authority to simply start painting,. Because the building is a historical landmark and is subject to legal and regulatory scrutiny, a federal judge could issue an injunction to stop any work. Preservation groups have already filed lawsuits in a federal court that the institution is bypassing mandatory environmental and historic preservation laws.
The administration argues the building's French Second Empire "greyness" clashes with the neoclassical white of the White House and Treasury. While critics argue that this modification, like the White House ballroom and the East Wing demolition, is more about branding and less about preservation. Preservationist groups argue that granite is a material meant to be seen, not covered and painting it white is a way of Trump rebranding assets resembling his early career as a real estate developer.