The Trump White House is planning another renovation project that is sure to have critics in a twist, just like the others.
In late July, the General Services Administration (GSA) awarded an almost $253,000 contract to Charles Mann Enterprises for lighting work at the Harry S. Truman Bowling Alley, a private, two-lane alley at the White House. The following month, another $8,800 contract was awarded to the same company for escort services related to the project. Essentially, this covered the cost of assisting workers through secure areas to get to and from the job site.
Some of President Donald Trump’s focuses during his second term have been the renovation of the White House, the cleanup of Washington, D.C., and the beautification of national parks. While he and his surrogates have deemed these efforts necessary to maintain the country’s image and create more functional spaces, others have argued that it’s a waste of time and tax dollars that should be going toward other issues.
Under former President Barack Obama in 2014, the GSA drew up a proposal for the complete reconstruction of the alley’s “irreparable” lanes. Politico reported that the project was almost immediately canceled within an hour of being announced in a Time Magazine article due to Republican backlash.
“Reince Priebus, then Republican National Committee chair, posted a list of funding needs with items like the economy and securing the border crossed out. ‘Repair WH bowling alley,’ meanwhile, was accompanied by a checkmark and a link to the story about the project,” the outlet reported. “The Republican-controlled House at the time even adopted an amendment to prohibit funding to renovate the White House bowling alley. Former Rep. Pat Meehan (R-Pa.), who introduced the amendment, likened upgrading the bowling alley to ice cream – constituting a ‘want,’ not a ‘need.'”
Charles Mann Enterprises, a construction management company based in Washington, was also awarded an $878,000 contract for “EEOB basement studio project.” The bowling alley is in the basement of the EEOB, but no other project details were included in the award information.
The alley has seen a number of changes since it was first built in the West Wing in 1947. The project was funded by Missourians to celebrate Truman’s 63rd birthday and was later moved to the EEOB by Dwight Eisenhower in 1955. Bill Clinton oversaw additional renovations in 1994, and in the current president’s first term, First Lady Melania Trump maintained a watchful eye as it underwent a full restoration, including updated lighting and interior. All of these changes were paid for by the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America.
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Sierra Marlee is a millennial whose hunger for the truth in a world of fake news has led her to write. Marlee also contributes to BizPac Review.
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