According to major media reports, the Trump administration has revealed its latest plans for a sweeping overhaul of the White House grounds. The blueprint released Friday outlines a new underground security hub for screening visitors to the White House. The project envisions a 33,000 sq ft subterranean center beneath Sherman Park, just southeast of the White House and south of the Treasury.
Construction may begin as early as August, with the White House determined to have the facility ready by July 2028. ' For years, tourists and visitors were screened in temporary trailer structures before accessing the East Wing entrance. Currently, visitors wait in line by Lafayette Park to enter the White House.
The permanent facility will strengthen campus security and enhance the overall visitor experience.
Under the new plans, visitors will enter via an exterior ramp leading to a sunken plaza for ticket and ID verification. The 5,000 sq ft recessed entry will act as a gathering area, allowing queuing along the ramp instead of crowding the 15th Street sidewalk. The facility will be equipped with security systems, technology, and support space to meet US Secret Service requirements for handling large crowds.
Visitors will go through two security steps: pre-screening and primary screening. The seven-lane primary screening area is intended to cut wait times and adapt to future upgrades. After security, guests will move through a tunnel with displays from the White House tour office and Executive Office of the President.
Visitors will take an elevator up to exit inside the secure area of the White House complex to begin their visit. A single escalator will return visitors to ground level north of the secure fence along East Executive Avenue. The total estimated cost of the underground security hub project has not been disclosed, and it is unknown how the construction will impact public access to Sherman Park and surrounding areas.