Historic Resources Committee

As you know, the project to build a White House ballroom evolved quickly resulting in the demolition of the East Wing. The demolition occurred despite assurances from the President that the ballroom construction would not harm the East Wing.  The project has moved forward at a speed and scale far exceeding initial plans and without review or approval from relevant groups and oversight committees.  

 

In August, AIA issued a formal recommendation to the Committee for the Preservation of the White House, urging an approach rooted in stewardship, transparency, and preservation-based standards including: 

·         Qualifications-based selection of architects 

·         Stringent historic-preservation review 

·         Full transparency in funding, procurement, and design 

·         Proportionality of design to historic architecture 

·         Expert collaboration to safeguard public value 

In October, AIA condemned the demolition in a follow- up statement, calling it a breach of public trust and process. AIA explicitly demanded a halt to irreversible alterations, publication of all project documentation, and restoration of meaningful professional and public engagement. These statements were intended to affirm our members' commitment preservation with the understanding of the White House's importance as an historic building. AIA called for accountability in every step of decision-making. 

 

In addition, AIA Government Affairs & Public Policy coordinated two opportunities for members to weigh in. The first advocacy campaign, in August, garnered 400 member letters and our recent alert has already resulted in 6,000 letters to Congress and is ongoing.  If you haven't contacted your members of Congress yet: 

Contact Your Congressional Leaders Here 

The key here is to keep the focus where it belongs: on the decision makers who allowed this to happen, not on shining a spotlight on our profession or any individual architects or firms. Our message should be about ensuring stronger public oversight, accountability, and transparency in how these decisions are made at the federal level. Our advocacy is most effective when we aim it at the systems and policies that shape these outcomes. 

Based on the 6,000 letters sent to Congress, lawmakers have begun to contact AIA Government Affairs & Public Policy staff seeking thought partnership in how to improve the process that is designed to protect preservation of these esteemed landmarks. In consultation with the HRC Advisory Group, staff will leverage the subject matter expertise of the Knowledge Community at the appropriate time.

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Brittany Meyer
The American Institute of Architects
Washington DC
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If anyone would like to sign the letter delineating what some of us (architects) believe are violations by James McCrery, AIA to the AIA's Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct that we plan to send to him early this coming week, please let me know and how you would like your signature to read.  The latest version which dissociates ourselves from the AIA and only refers to the AIA in the AIA's Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct and in the sentence "You will preserve not only your own reputation but that of the American Institute of Architects as well."

Since there have been at least 6,000 letters to our members of Congress in protest of the demolition of the East Wing of the White House, I hope that some of those AIA members are willing to sign on to our letter inquiring of the "ballroom architect" as to his view of the process and response to our interpretation of his violations of the AIA's Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct.

The letter is attached below.

If not us, then who?  If not now, then when?

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Samuel Duff Combs, AIA, NCARB
Combs & Combs, AIA, Architecture, Interiors, Art
Architect/Owner
Anchorage, AK
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-04-2025 11:49 AM
From: Brittany Meyer
Subject: AIA National Summary and Update on Letters Sent

As you know, the project to build a White House ballroom evolved quickly resulting in the demolition of the East Wing. The demolition occurred despite assurances from the President that the ballroom construction would not harm the East Wing.  The project has moved forward at a speed and scale far exceeding initial plans and without review or approval from relevant groups and oversight committees.  

 

In August, AIA issued a formal recommendation to the Committee for the Preservation of the White House, urging an approach rooted in stewardship, transparency, and preservation-based standards including: 

·         Qualifications-based selection of architects 

·         Stringent historic-preservation review 

·         Full transparency in funding, procurement, and design 

·         Proportionality of design to historic architecture 

·         Expert collaboration to safeguard public value 

In October, AIA condemned the demolition in a follow- up statement, calling it a breach of public trust and process. AIA explicitly demanded a halt to irreversible alterations, publication of all project documentation, and restoration of meaningful professional and public engagement. These statements were intended to affirm our members' commitment preservation with the understanding of the White House's importance as an historic building. AIA called for accountability in every step of decision-making. 

 

In addition, AIA Government Affairs & Public Policy coordinated two opportunities for members to weigh in. The first advocacy campaign, in August, garnered 400 member letters and our recent alert has already resulted in 6,000 letters to Congress and is ongoing.  If you haven't contacted your members of Congress yet: 

Contact Your Congressional Leaders Here 

The key here is to keep the focus where it belongs: on the decision makers who allowed this to happen, not on shining a spotlight on our profession or any individual architects or firms. Our message should be about ensuring stronger public oversight, accountability, and transparency in how these decisions are made at the federal level. Our advocacy is most effective when we aim it at the systems and policies that shape these outcomes. 

Based on the 6,000 letters sent to Congress, lawmakers have begun to contact AIA Government Affairs & Public Policy staff seeking thought partnership in how to improve the process that is designed to protect preservation of these esteemed landmarks. In consultation with the HRC Advisory Group, staff will leverage the subject matter expertise of the Knowledge Community at the appropriate time.

------------------------------
Brittany Meyer
The American Institute of Architects
Washington DC
------------------------------