Donate $25 for two DVDs of the Cryptome collection of files from June 1996 to the present Natsios Young Architects 8 January 2010. Add Google Earth aerial. 12 November 2009. Add top photo. 6 April 2009. Updated. 3 April 2009

Google Earth, 28 August 2010

President Barack Obama walks with Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett across West Executive Avenue to the West Wing of the White House, following a Small Business and Health Insurance Reform event, Oct 29, 2009. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

What is the building on the right? (Located west of the swimming pool.) Answer to cryptome[at]earthlink.net. New York Times, 29 March 2009

A5 writes April 5, 2009: White House blackbox is a data center, water cooled, heating the pool.

A4 writes April 3, 2009: I use to work there. I can say that both A2, A3 and cryptome are not correct. There are definitely no vehicles stored in there, except for the occasional construction truck and it has nothing to do with the pool or a gym. The building on the East side which is green is a visitor entrance area that is being constructed, although I am sure there is some more work going on there than just that. The building on the West side, the white one you refer was labeled as a "communications" project. It started in the summer of 2005. There is probably some more infrastructure going on in there as well, but the buildings are constructed mainly to keep the noise and interruptions down in quite a sensitive and small environment, this allows them to work relatively un-interrupted. I have heard some thoughts that the project was for vehicle access, but it seems way too small for that kind of project. My understanding is that this project will also help tie in some of the work going on in the EEOB as well.

April 5, 2009. Add five following photos. February 3, 2008 Source Compate to photo below dated May 17, 2008 The vehicle nearest the building appears to be like the one below used for presidential satellite communications. September 15, 2008 Source (reduced and cropped.) July 16, 2008 Source (Cropped.) July 21, 2008 Source (Cropped.) Upper portion of the building is to the left of the man's head. December 9, 2008 Source

April 3, 2009. Add ten following photos. The white box appears to be under construction at left center. July 1, 2007 Source (Cropped) If the building was constructed between July 1 (above) and this photo on July 30, it would have been a pre-fabricated shell with interior fitout later. July 30, 2007 Source (Cropped) November 2, 2007 Source (Cropped) December 25, 2007 Source (Cropped) February 17, 2008 April 2008 This shows a portion of the north side of the building. Parked next to it is a communications vehicle. May 17, 2008 Source (Cropped) And another view of the north side: June 26, 2008 Source (Cropped) November 2008 Source (Cropped) January 20, 2009 DigitalGlobe (Cropped)

2 April 2009 Two comments on the White House white box: A2 writes: 1.  My office is located one block from the White House.  While the RISC 1 truck was frequently seen driving around the White House complex when the team was stood up in 2004, I have not seen it at all since approximately 2006.  It was frequently parked in front of the USSS Presidential Protection complex on New York Avenue NW near the Corcoran Gallery.  I vaguely recall seeing it entering a parking complex which leads me to doubt that, if RISC is still in existence, the new building in question is a garage for it.  Plus, the USSS would not station its critical response team well within the target. Further, it's my understanding that the black Ford chassis ambulance style rig is a nuke/chem/bio response vehicle -- the second row of the max-cab is taken up by a rather extensive computer rack.  It is still a standard part of the POTUS motorcade and I don't believe considered part of the RISC team. 2.  The fact that a significant construction project on the White House grounds has not yielded any coverage should lead us to believe the building has significant national security implications -- significant enough for the press NOT to report on it -- otherwise the press would have written about the first time a shovel was turned. The main stream media leave no trivial fact about the First Family unwritten.  From the new playground equipment for the First Daughters to the vegetable garden the First Lady planted, all have garnered significant coverage. Clearly a reporter has asked about this new project -- they'd be guilty of professional malpractice not to ask about a huge project such as that.  If it was a gym, we'd know because ESPN would lead with the story for a week.  The fact that the elephant in the room (or, in this case, the big white building right outside the West  Wing) hasn't gotten coverage is enough to lead me to believe someone asked and the answer was "please don't ask." _________ A3 writes: The building is the building that houses the bathouse (changing rooms, showers, toilets, and the ladies powder room) and the pool's filter equipment. The filter is the machinery that removes particles from the pool water as well as injects the chlorene (which kills bacteria). The pool's water is constantly circulated through the filter equipment, which also has an ultravilet germicidal lamp that shines on the water, killing some viruses.

February 8, 2009. Photo by kunal (cropped) Source Source

Source Alan Turnbull (www.secret-bases.co.uk) notes the building is shown on Google Earth, v. 5.0 (2009), imagery dated January 20, 2009 and shows moving vans at the White House: A writes to suggest the building houses the White House emergency vehicles for fire, hazmat and rescue. In 2004 the Secret Service established the Rapid Intervention Safety and Command (RISC) unit for this purpose. Two RISC vehicles below. Source Source Cryptome best guess: Due to its height, rectangular dimensions and roof-top ventilators, it could be a gymnasium with basketball court and exercise equipment, accessible from the Ground (street) level of the West Wing. Note that the east side is embedded in terrain which could link to the Ground level, and there could be access from the yard level above where the swimming pool is located. (Side issue: how to get the design of the building approved by the ultra-rigorous DC Arts Commission -- perhaps by calling it a temporary structure to protect the institution of the presidency (gag), or best, a national contingency operations emergency (puke).) The use of this facility would avoid the security problem of Barack's daily travel to the Interior Department gym a few blocks away. And give Michelle and the girls a larger space with more exercise devices than the treadmill room in theWhite House. However, the Situation Room is located north of this facility and it could be an adjunct to that. Or it could house the beastly presidential limousines -- a way for Obama to enter and exit the vehicle without exposure to snipers in the rooftop press tents eternally microscoping the petri dish. Source There has been construction adjacent to this area in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building and this structure might have been constructed as part of that project. It appears to be a quickly-built structure, perhaps with metal siding. More on the West Wing floor plans and construction history: http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/west-wing.htm. Compare to secret Navy tunneling facility: http://eyeball-series.org/dcnavy/dcnavy-eyeball.htm. Also Maps.live.com birdseye.