President Donald Trump has hired a new architect for the White House ballroom amid disputes between the president and the architect originally contracted to complete the project, several sources have told CNN.
One senior White House official said that McCrery Architects and its CEO James McCrery would no longer be in the picture, after clashing with the president over the scope of the project, particularly the size of the ballroom, But two White House officials strongly denied McCrery was fired; they said he instead will remain on the ballroom project as a consultant.
The new architect is Shalom Baranes Associates, a Washington, DC-based firm that previously designed the General Services Administration’s national headquarters, according to the company’s website.
“As we begin to transition into the next stage of development on the White House Ballroom, the Administration is excited to share that the highly talented Shalom Baranes has joined the team of experts to carry out President Trump’s vision on building what will be the greatest addition to the White House since the Oval Office — the White House Ballroom,” White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told CNN in a statement. “Shalom is an accomplished architect whose work has shaped the architectural identity of our nation’s capital for decades and his experience will be a great asset to the completion of this project.”
CNN has reached out to McCrery and Shalom Baranes Associates for comment.
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