Donald Trump Breaks Ground on $200M Trump International Hotel Washington, D.C.

By Adrian Maties, Associate Editor

Donald Trump and The Trump Organization have finally broken ground on the redevelopment of The Old Post Office in Washington, D.C. The $200 million project will transform the iconic Pennsylvania Avenue landmark into the new Trump International Hotel.

Trump was present at the event, together with three of his children: Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump and Eric Trump, all executive vice presidents of The Trump Organization. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Mayor Vincent Gray and other officials also joined the Trump family.

The Old Post Office was one of the most sought-after redevelopment opportunities in the country. The U.S. General Services Administration selected the Trump Hotel Collection for the project in February 2012. Last September, the hotel management company released its plans for the $200 million redevelopment to the public.

When finished, in 2016, the Trump International Hotel will offer 270 luxury guestrooms. Averaging more than 600 square feet, they will be the largest hotel rooms in the District. The largest of them will be the Presidential Suites, located in the historic former offices of the Postmaster General. At 3,500 and 5,000 square feet, these three-bedroom suites will be the largest in the country.

The new hotel will have restaurants and retailers on the ground level, a 5,000-square-foot super luxury spa and state-of-the-art fitness center, and 36,000 square feet of meeting and event space. Its 13,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom will be the largest among D.C.’s luxury hotels.

“We are absolutely thrilled to break ground today on what will be, in the very near future, one of the finest hotels anywhere in the world—Trump International Hotel, Washington, D.C. Throughout the next two years, we will work to restore this magnificent building to even well beyond its original grandeur,” Donald Trump said in a statement for the press. “The 270 guestrooms and suites, many with 16-foot ceilings, will be the largest of any luxury hotel in D.C. Likewise, our ballroom, meeting and event space will be the most luxurious of its kind on the East Coast and our Presidential Suites will be the best worldwide. It is my intention to do something really special for our capital—and it will be completed prior to November of 2016, a very special date!”

The Trump Hotel Collection has retained famous architects Beyer Blinder Belle, interior design consultants Hirsch Bedner Associates, and historic advisor and preservation specialists John Cullinane & Associates for the project.

“Our commitment to historic preservation and long history of redeveloping landmark properties are reflected in our design approach, which is inspired by the legacy of this great structure and executed in a manner that captures the sophistication and luxury of our brand,” Ivanka Trump added. She also called the redevelopment a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Photo credit: Trump Hotel Collection