I worked on FDR improvements to the White House compound. I know, I know, anyone can say anything on the internet. But I really did supervise the historic preservation aspects of this project during GWB (and DICK Cheney)
https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/vicepresident/ovp.html
The East Wing was an architecturally dead set of offices. Don't be so lax as to think it was magnificent. The Vice President's ceremonial office was originally stunning (actually originally the Secretary of War's office- and worth googling historic photos). When FDR became president he ordered it painted the most depressing gray on the market. My crew and co-workers carefully removed the dead paint, and restored it for every VP, Biden, Pence (--), Harris and Vance into the foreseeable future. Look up the Indian Treaty Room in the EEOB. Now that was a restoration project! The internet won't show how spectacular it is. Just like the Ballroom, all these projects are done with donations from individuals and companies. They happen all the time in DC, they have to because things slowly degrade or they are degraded like FDR did. If you've read this far, you can see these things if you arrange it with your Congressman or Senator. They do incredible tours that I highly recommend. The general public never sees the most magnificent parts of DC.
