End of White House Construction Brings Relief but Little Change

Posted by IronPlanet on Sep 11, 2012 10:32:00 PM

For the past two years, the West Wing of the White House has been strewn with construction equipment, cranes, excavators and trucks. Now, the $86 million project is finished, and The Associated Press reports the building appears as though it had remained untouched. This is because most of the work was done on the inner workings of the wing - replacing water lines, sewers and electrical wiring pipelines as well as updating the heating, air conditioning and fire control systems.

According to the news source, this is not the last construction project that passersby will see at the Presidential estate. The Big Dig, a name given to the recent project, is part of a four-year, $376 million plan for further construction around the home and principal workplace of the Commander in Chief. The project earned its nickname because a large hole was excavated on the North Lawn. The Irish Times reports that many speculated the excavators were digging to make room for an addition to the underground emergency operations center that already exists below the White House.

While reporters may not be allowed to know the details of the work being done in the West Wing, the publication indicates those who work in this area of the building are no strangers to the hassles incurred due to the recent work. They have dealt with loud noises coming from backhoes and other equipment, as well as detours around work areas for approximately two years, and for many the end of this project is a relief even though there is more to come.

"Now that the sights and sounds of construction workers and their equipment are gone, my outlook on the North Lawn of the White House has literally brightened," deputy press secretary Josh Earnest told the AP.

Odds are, however, that Earnest's luck will not last, as the rest of the project may involve further excavation of the North Lawn, which means he will probably lose his view again. While future plans for the project are being kept secret, those who work in the West and East Wings may have to adjust to the sounds of construction soon, as a spokesperson indicated this was the direction the project was heading.

Topics: Construction, Industry Headlines