In recent weeks, the area near the White House has resembled an exclusion zone, with extended areas previously open to the public sealed off. A chain-link fence surrounds Lafayette Square, closing the landmark park as it undergoes refurbishment ordered by Donald Trump.
Disappointed Visitors
Julie, visiting Washington DC with her husband Robert to celebrate their marriage, was unconvinced by a sign proclaiming 'We are making DC safe and beautiful.' 'The irony,' she said. 'It's neither safe, nor beautiful.' Local preservationists say her verdict is widely shared. Rebecca Miller, executive director of the DC Preservation League, noted that visitors from out of town are disappointed by the extensive construction.
Major Projects Underway
Among the flurry of expensive projects, Trump ordered the East Wing of the White House demolished to make way for a massive ballroom, projected to cost $600 million. The National Park Service has been restoring fountains, and the reflecting pool on the National Mall underwent repairs to address discoloring algae. Plans for a 250ft triumphal arch south of the Potomac River have drawn criticism.
The reflecting pool was for weeks a site of frenetic activity, with workers repainting its surface. Upon completion, Trump claimed it would turn 'American-flag blue,' but algae turned the water green. Renovations on the Arlington Memorial Bridge and nearby projects add to the building site atmosphere.
Exclusion Zone Near White House
In recent weeks, the area near the White House has resembled an exclusion zone, with the Ellipse, Lafayette Square, and parts of Pennsylvania Avenue sealed off. Lafayette Square renovations are carried out under a $17m contract awarded on a no-bids basis to Clark Construction, the same company undertaking the White House ballroom project.
Robert, a retired US history professor, said, 'Everything that I've seen is to honor Donald Trump, not America's 250th anniversary.' He suggested Trump's claims of grandeur outstripped those of King George III. Norma Roth, a children's book author, gaped at temporary toilets installed for a UFC event on the South Lawn. 'It's like he's shitting all over our nation's capital,' she said. She called the exclusion area a denial of free-speech values.
Proposed Arch Sparks Controversy
Across the Potomac, the proposed 'Independence Arch' has been dubbed the 'Arc de Trump' by critics. Costing an estimated $100 million, the arch would be built on a busy traffic intersection. Gabe Adame, a Trump supporter, reacted positively, but Oliver, a NGO worker, said it could obscure famous landmarks. About 600 letters of objection have been sent to the US Commission of Fine Arts, and congressional Democrats have introduced legislation to defund the project.
Miller dismissed the White House's argument that approval is already granted under a 1925 report. 'What they're proposing is not the columns that were authorized,' she said. With large areas of the National Mall still cordoned off for the Great American State Fair, Angie Clark, a molecular biologist, complained of a 'forbidding' atmosphere.
