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Images of excavators <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>tearing down the East Wing<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> of the White House this week as part of President Donald Trump\u2019s <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>plan to build<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> a 90,000 square-foot ballroom has raised alarm bells among critics because it contradicts the administration\u2019s assurances the addition would be built on top of, and not in place of, the existing structure.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMr. Trump originally said back in July that the construction of his ballroom, at a cost of more than $200 million, \u2018won\u2019t interfere with the current building,\u2019\u201d The <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>New York Times reported<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> on Monday.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019ll be near it but not touching it,\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>CNBC reported<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> Trump saying when he took questions on the project in July.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The privately funded project isn\u2019t using any congressionally appropriated funds, the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>White House has said<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>. The project represents the first major change to the White House since 1942, when the East Wing was renovated, according to <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>a statement<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> from the Society of Architectural Historians.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The White House press office <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>in a statement<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> called concern over the demolition “manufactured outrage\u201d and said the ballroom is a \u201cbold, necessary addition that echoes the storied history of improvements and additions\u201d by prior presidents.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The White House says the National Capital Planning Commission, which has an oversight role over major renovations to historic buildings in Washington, will have a chance to review plans once demolition is complete.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n “Construction plans have not yet been submitted to the National Capital Planning Commission but will be soon,” a White House official said in a <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Reuters report<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>. The NCPC doesn\u2019t have jurisdiction over demolition work, the official said.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The White House, like the Capitol and the Supreme Court building, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>are exempted<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> from provisions in the National Historic Preservation Act requiring agencies to submit plans to the Department of the Interior when they call for altering historic buildings, although it\u2019s been a custom for administrations to submit their White House renovation plans to NCPC and another board, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, before moving forward on them.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhile not legally binding, [these reviews] form the preservation framework that has guided White House alterations for decades and remains relevant even for privately funded work,\u201d an <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Engineering News-Record report says<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n In a letter Tuesday, the National Trust for Historic Preservation asked the White House to pause demolition until NCPC, the Commission of Fine Arts and the public have a chance to weigh in.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe federally recognized Secretary of the Interior\u2019s Standards for Rehabilitation offer clear guidance for construction projects affecting historic properties,\u201d Carol Quillen, NTHP president and CEO, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>said in the letter<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>. \u201cThe Standards provide that new additions should not destroy the historic fabric of the property.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n ACECO, the Maryland-based contractor demolishing the building, has faced criticism online and its website has been down, the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>