Five things to know about the Fed building renovations at the centre of Trump’s fight with Powell

Do they include lavish elements?

Built nearly ‍a ‌century ago and never renovated, the buildings required new plumbing, electrical, heating, water, and other infrastructure, as well as updating to allow access for people with disabilities, a basement for one of the buildings and an addition for the other to make enough room for existing staff currently occupying other leased offices.

There is no governors-only elevator or VIP dining room, the Fed says, and a new water feature in the original plans for the 1951 Constitution renovation was eliminated. 

There are no “rooftop terrace ‌gardens” as Vought asserts. 

One building has a ground-level front lawn that doubles as the roof of an underground parking structure, which planning documents referred to as a “garden terrace”. Plans also refer to “vegetated roofs” used to help with stormwater runoff and building efficiency.

What about oversight of the project?

The Fed, by law, has the authority to determine its spending on capital projects. 

Its Office of Inspector General receives monthly reports on the project, conducted a review in 2021 and is now charged with conducting a fresh review.

The Fed consulted a number of planning bodies, including the Fine Arts Commission and the National Capital Planning Commission, on the design and development of the project. 

The Fed says it made some changes to the ‌original plans to save money, but the changes ‌were not substantial.