Until this week the East Wing was home to a movie theater, offices for the first lady and calligraphy offices where all official invitations were created. It was also the main visitor entrance, including for public tours of the White House. All tours have been suspended indefinitely, according to the White House website.
The East Wing will be replaced by the ballroom, offices for the first lady and her staff, and new “guest suites” for the “President’s White House Guests,” according to a project description on the résumé of lead architect James McCrery II. The White House would not confirm whether the new guest suites and offices were included in the 90,000-square foot estimate.
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Trump said this week that the ballroom will seat almost 1,000 people, up from an earlier estimate of about 650. The White House announced plans in January, initially projecting the expansion backed by private donors would cost $200 million. Trump has since revised that figure to upward of $300 million.