Washington, DC – Shocking images of malfunction and disrepair beneath the halls and stages of the Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts revealed to reporters on Wednesday illustrated the need for the upcoming $257 million renovation project.
The historic Washington, D.C. theater, which President Donald Trump appointed himself to chair shortly after his inauguration last year, is set to close on July 4 for two years while it undergoes a massive, long-overdue restoration.
Matt Floca, who replaced Special Presidential Envoy Ric Grenell as director of the Trump Kennedy Center last month, gave members of the press a tour of some of the problem areas that most patrons of the theater have never before seen.
Photos show water damage in an electrical vault room and damage to the vaults themselves, meaning that they need to be replaced in the upcoming project.
More images show dramatic deterioration in the infrastructure of the service tunnels and parking garage.
While reporters were in one of the building’s large, industrial-size elevators, a Trump Kennedy Center official explained over the loud clanking noise that the elevators were outdated and being run by decades-old computers that also need to be replaced.
The massive river pump system that uses water from the Potomac River also needs to be replaced, officials said.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to restore and revitalize one of America’s most iconic institutions, and we want the public to see exactly what that means,” said Floca, who also serves as the center’s chief operating officer. “From compromised structural systems to end-of-life equipment, the needs are real and urgent. Renovations are moving forward with transparency and a commitment to restoring the Trump Kennedy Center to its rightful place as our nation’s premier performing arts destination.”
On the aesthetic side of the renovation plans, reporters were assured that the iconic red-on-red theme inside the opera house will remain the same, while the carpets and seats will be new.
A list of action items to for the impending project provided to Breitbart News span across several major areas, including:
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Repair hundreds of compromised expansion joints to stop extensive water infiltration.
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Replace 2,000+ pound soffit panels that have reached “end-of-life” status and present a public safety risk.
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Remediate water drainage issues that have caused systemic deterioration to marble slabs and damage beneath exterior pavers.
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Transition from the obsolete River Pump Room to a modern water tower-based system.
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Repair significant water damage to electrical rooms located beneath the main entrances.
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Upgrade theater seats and production improvements for modernization and safety of stagehands.
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Remediate hundreds of structural failure points in the parking garage, identified in water intrusion studies.
Prior to working at the Trump Kennedy Center, Floca spent over 10 years in the Washington, D.C. city government managing similar construction projects. Despite him being picked by President Trump, even CNN admitted that Floca “is trusted and seen as apolitical” within the center.
A White House spokesperson told the outlet in March that “Floca is a construction professional and he is well-suited to lead the Trump-Kennedy Center into its historic next phase.”
Olivia Rondeau is a politics reporter for Breitbart News based in Washington, DC. Find her on X/Twitter and Instagram.