White House Proposes Underground 33,000-Sq.-Ft. Visitor Screening Center
Administration seeks a 33,000-square-foot subterranean screening facility beneath Sherman Park with seven lanes and a target opening by July 2028.
CBS NewsWhite House proposes new underground visitor screening facility
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Overview
The National Capital Planning Commission is set to consider plans on April 2 for a roughly 33,000-square-foot underground visitor screening facility beneath Sherman Park, according to the commission's preliminary agenda.
The proposal follows last fall's demolition of the East Wing and aims to replace temporary trailers and tents where visitors currently queue near Lafayette Park, according to the White House plans.
The Executive Office of the President developed the plans with the U.S. Secret Service and the National Park Service, and a White House spokesman said the project would modernize the visitor experience.
Plans call for seven processing lanes, a 5,000-square-foot sunken entry plaza and a separate roughly 4,000-square-foot staff entry, and the NCPC will also consider a proposed 90,000-square-foot ballroom on the East Wing footprint.
Officials said construction could begin as early as August or this fall with a target opening by July 2028, and the NCPC will discuss and vote on the proposals at its April 2 meeting.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present this as straightforward reporting, focusing on factual project details (size, location, timeline), agency collaboration, and procedural steps without evaluative language. They cite planning documents and meeting agendas rather than advocacy voices, include practical context (visitor flow, demolished East Wing), and avoid loaded descriptors or omitted counterarguments.
FAQ
The facility aims to replace temporary trailers and tents used for visitor queuing near Lafayette Park, modernizing the screening process for White House tours and events with seven processing lanes.
It will be constructed beneath Sherman Park, southeast of the White House, with visitor access via a ramp at the southeast corner of 15th Street and E Street near the Treasury Department, including a 5,000-square-foot sunken entry plaza.
The facility is approximately 33,000 square feet, with construction potentially starting as early as August or this fall, targeting an opening by July 2028.
The NCPC is also reviewing a proposed 90,000-square-foot ballroom on the footprint of the demolished East Wing.
