Well before President Donald Trump intervened to fix the Kennedy Center, two evaluations conducted early in the Biden administration laid bare the horrid condition of America's iconic performing arts center that included outdated fire safety systems, poor protection against terrorist attacks, water leaks in a transformer room, rusted wiring that violates code and extensive cracks in walls and roof panels, according to documents reviewed by Just the News.

The 2021 and 2022 maintenance and structural reviews by architectural experts exposed extensive concerns about the condition of the building, including health hazards like lead-painted steel beams, insufficient ventilation in bathrooms and failing sealants containing a cancer-linked chemical.

"The membrane is in fair to poor condition and near the end of its expected useful lifespan; each overhang roof has several urgent maintenance repairs," one plainly-written memo warned after inspecting the overhangs for two terrace roofs. 

"Existing caulk and sealants contained polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and the existing steel structure was coated with lead paint," the 2022 report noted,

Added a 2021 presentation: "Many bathrooms are not properly ventilated."

You can read those reports here:

Long-standing lack of protections against terrorism and protection against fire

"In the past several years, the Project Management Office (PMO) has experienced a turnover and shortage in staffing including the Director position. With this shortage it was a challenge to maintain the project output of the PMO without the necessary resources," a 2022 assessment reported.

The chief spokeswoman for the Kennedy Center confirmed to Just the News the older maintenance warnings and said the Biden administration turned a blind eye to them, instead focusing on building new structures rather than repairing the main performing arts center. "They did not want to do the work that was necessary," Vice President for Communications Roma Daravi said in an interview. "Actually, instead, they had $250 million that they used to build a separate complex just next to the main building. 

"It took a complete overhaul of the institution in order for anyone to care that the building was crumbling," she added.

Trump has moved to close the Kennedy Center for two years to conduct a quarter-billion dollars in repairs and renovations, especially after dramatic security footage showed part of a ceiling crash to floor with debris. But some groups have sued and courts have intervened to slow the president's plan.

But buried deep in the two court cases — one in Florida and the other in Washington — are the Biden-era structural reviews that give a jaw-dropping glimpse into the condition of the theater complex opened in 1971 to honor the late President John F. Kennedy.

Two vulnerabilities that have escaped much media attention are the complex's lack of protections against terrorism and its protections against fire, a concern since the center has hosted presidents and other dignitaries for decades.

"Property and building access has limited resistance to vehicular and ballistic threats," the "Video Surveillance System is inconsistent in capabilities and application" and "egress doors aren’t monitored," the report noted in a stark assessment of security gaps.

Fire alarm system "obsolete" since at least 2021

Added another citation in one of the reports: The fire alarm system is obsolete and requires replacement – design project is currently underway to address the issue." Leaking fire sprinkler pipes was another condition identified.

The condition of the electrical system was another major reg flag in the 2021 assessment.

"Feeder insulation is deteriorating. Aluminum feeders are not passing the Meggar test. Distribution equipment (switchboards, panels, etc...)are damaged and rusted in many areas throughout the building. The wiring and organization of various electrical installs and electrical rooms are unorderly and do not meet the NEC code," the PowerPoint presentation written five years ago revealed. The Meggar test checks the health of wire, motor, transformer, and switchgear insulation to prevent short circuits and shocks.

Water leaks were reported in multiple locations of the complex, including in one room that could pose an electrical hazard.

"The team observed active leaks at the east transformer vault rooms (as well as north pump rooms)" with "staining most heavily concentrated on the west wall, west ends of beams, and columns of the transformer room," the 2021 summary noted.