Federal commission approves construction plans for White House visitor screening center

The National Capital Planning Commission on Thursday unanimously voted to approve building plans for a new White House Visitor Screening Facility.

The project is part of President Donald Trump’s massive overhaul of the White House grounds, but one that has enjoyed bipartisan support and drawn little pushback compared to his other construction plans.

The facility will be built off 15th Street in Sherman Park, with an entrance that leads below ground for screening and allows visitors to exit by the East Wing of the White House, the site of the president’s more controversial ballroom project.

The commission’s chairman, Trump appointee Mark Paoletta, said Thursday, “I look forward to the beautiful building be built on the White House grounds.”

Lee Webb, an urban planner with the 12-member commission, presented the final plans for the facility. He said it will include a versatile indoor open-floor-plan space that will allow the Secret Service to install permanent screening technology. The space will also allow significant indoor queuing for large events, with a 700-person occupancy within the screening facility.

Visitors to the White House are now screened in temporary, double-wide trailers and tents, which the Secret Service has said falls short of its security needs.

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/business