Who designed the original White House Ballroom and when was it built?

1. Who the new ballroom’s architect is — named and documented

The administration publicly selected McCrery Architects to design the new White House State Ballroom; press and firm profiles identify James (Jim) McCrery as the lead architect and principal of that Washington, D.C. practice ^{[2] [5]}. The White House briefed the public that McCrery’s office drew a neoclassical design intended to mirror James Hoban’s original White House language ^{[1] [4]}. Coverage in trade and national press repeatedly cites McCrery, AECOM (engineering) and Clark Construction (builder) as the core project team ^{[6] [2] [7]}.

2. When construction was announced and when building activity began

The White House announced the ballroom project on July 31, 2025, and stated construction would begin in September 2025 with an expected completion during the then-current administration ^[1]. Multiple outlets and later reporting track demolition and site work at the East Wing occurring in autumn 2025 and identify September 2025 as the start window ^{[8] [9]}. Congressional and advocacy inquiries followed as costs, procurement and demolition details drew scrutiny ^{[7] [3]}.

3. What “original” White House design history the sources provide

Historical context in preservation statements reiterates that the White House itself was designed by Irish architect James Hoban after a competition in the 1790s and built to Georgian/neoclassical principles; the building’s form has been altered over centuries with additions and renovations ^[3]. Reporting on the ballroom project specifically notes that the East Wing — containing the East Room and other spaces used for events — was originally built in 1902 with a second story added in 1942, meaning the event spaces the new ballroom supplants have later construction dates ^{[4] [2]}.

4. Is there an “original White House Ballroom” and when was it built?

Available sources do not use the phrase “original White House Ballroom” tied to a specific 18th- or 19th‑century build date. Instead, the press describes the East Room/East Wing as the long-standing state event space (built 1902, modified 1942) that the new ballroom project will replace or expand upon ^[4]. Preservation groups and architects reference the Hoban-designed White House as the original executive mansion, but they do not identify an original ballroom separate from later state rooms ^{[3] [2]}.

5. Competing viewpoints and controversies documented in reporting

Advocates for the project and classical architects framed McCrery’s neoclassical design as an appropriate, harmonious addition that would increase formal event capacity dramatically (White House and sympathetic outlets emphasize 90,000 sq ft and seating for roughly 650) ^{[1] [2]}. Critics — including the American Institute of Architects, National Trust for Historic Preservation, and other commentators — warned about process transparency, scale, historic impact and procurement, and pressed for public review and consultation ^{[10] [3]}. Senate inquiries questioned how firms were selected and asked for records after the demolition of the East Wing began ^[7].

6. What precise facts reporting agrees on and where limits remain

Reporting consistently identifies McCrery Architects (James/Jim McCrery) as designer and places the public announcement and construction start in mid- to late‑2025 ^{[1] [2]}. Where sources diverge or leave open questions: exact procurement terms, the full donor list and amounts, and whether an “original ballroom” existed in an earlier White House era — those specifics are either contested or not found in the current reporting ^{[7] [8] [3]}.

7. Bottom line for your original question

If you mean “who designed the new White House ballroom and when it was built/scheduled”: McCrery Architects (James/Jim McCrery) was publicly named as designer and construction began or was scheduled to begin September 2025 ^{[1] [2]}. If you mean “who designed the White House itself and when”: the White House was originally designed by James Hoban in the 1790s; however, sources do not identify a single historic “original White House Ballroom” built at that time — event spaces like the East Room/East Wing date from later work ^{[3] [4]}.