The price tag for renovations to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has risen sharply, increasing by $11.3 million since President Donald Trump first introduced the project, which is being carried out ahead of the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary celebrations.

When the work was initially announced, Trump estimated the effort would cost about $1.8 million to repaint the pool, seal its base, and fix leaking joints.

New filings released Friday show the projected cost has now reached $13.1 million, according to a report by the New York Times.

The Interior Department last week added $6.2 million to the contract, bringing the total from its earlier value of $6.9 million.

The project is being handled by Atlantic Industrial Coatings, a Virginia-based company that received the contract in April without a competitive bidding process.

The firm has previously worked on swimming pools at Trump National Golf Club Washington DC in Sterling, Virginia, and was selected for the reflecting pool project after the government cited an urgent need to proceed. Officials said that delaying the work would result in “serious injury,” according to the Times.

No further details were provided about the nature of that potential harm, though the project’s target completion date has been set for July 4.

“The contract price reflects the effort necessary to expedite the timeline of completing the leak prevention coating project—more people, more materials, more equipment and longer hours ahead of our 250th,” an Interior Department spokesperson told The Hill.

The spokesperson also said that the National Park Service is investing in an ozone nanobubbler filtration system and will assign a dedicated crew to maintain the site moving forward.

The renovation effort has drawn criticism from preservation advocates and a local nonprofit group concerned about changes to the historic landmark.

The Cultural Landscape Foundation and its founder, Charles Birnbaum, filed a lawsuit last week arguing that the application of a blue coating to the pool is “altering the historic character” without proper authorization.

According to the lawsuit, the National Historic Preservation Act requires government agencies to consult before making changes to historic properties, and the complaint also alleges the project fails to meet obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act.

The Trump administration has defended the initiative, saying the upgrades will enhance the experience for visitors to the National Mall while reducing long-term maintenance costs tied to significant water loss, with the pool currently leaking an estimated 16 million gallons each year.

“You’re going to end up with a beautiful, beautiful Reflecting Pool, the way it’s supposed to be,” Trump said during remarks in the Oval last month.

“Much better than it ever was, actually,” he continued.

The reflecting pool, first completed in 1922, has undergone multiple restoration efforts over the years.

{Matzav.com}