WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court has temporarily lifted an injunction blocking construction of the White House ballroom, allowing work to resume until at least April 17. The 2-1 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on Saturday stays a lower court’s order that had halted the $22 million renovation project late last month.
The ruling comes after preservation groups sued to stop the construction, arguing it would damage historic elements of the Executive Mansion. Government lawyers countered that delays would cost taxpayers $250,000 daily and jeopardize completion before a major diplomatic event scheduled for June.
“This is a reasonable balancing of interests pending full review,” wrote Judge Wilkins in the majority opinion, noting the panel would hear full arguments next month. Dissenting Judge Jackson called the decision “a dangerous precedent for executive overreach” in a sharply worded opinion.
White House officials declined to comment, but sources familiar with the project confirmed construction crews returned to the site Monday morning. Architectural historians remain divided on whether the modernist redesign compromises the building’s neoclassical integrity.
The case highlights growing tensions between preservation mandates and modernization needs for the 233-year-old building. Legal analysts suggest whichever side loses at the appeals court will likely petition the Supreme Court given the constitutional questions involved.