News
Demolishing the South Visitors' Center on Temple Square
Wrecking equipment is bringing down the South Visitors' Center and portions of the south wall along Temple Square today. Removal of the building and wall will provide access to excavation crews who will dig along the foundation of the Salt Lake Temple. Trees, statues, and monuments were moved from the south side of the temple last week, and most of landscaping is gone. The temple is being decommissioned by teams who are moving out furniture and abating hazardous materials.
Official Rendering Released for the Bengaluru India Temple
The official rendering was released and location announced today for India's first temple, the Bengaluru India Temple, which will be constructed on the 1.62-acre site where India's Church offices and the stake center for the Bengaluru India Stake are located in the Whitefield neighborhood. The existing buildings will be replaced with the 38,670-square-foot temple, a two-level meetinghouse, administrative offices, a distribution center, and a patron housing facility. Project leaders will soon submit preliminary plans and applications to the local government to begin the process of approval. No date has been set yet for the groundbreaking.
Spire Attached to Winnipeg Manitoba Temple Tower
The gold-colored spire of the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple, which has stood in a staging area near the temple for the past few months, was installed today in its permanent location atop the tower over the main entrance. Subcontractors continue to work on the interior and exterior of the building through the challenging winter months.
Framing Continues for the Pocatello Idaho Temple
Framing progress is visible along the second and third levels of the Pocatello Idaho Temple where workers are attaching shiny framing brackets and steel studs to the exterior of the heavy-gauge structural framing. Large mechanical equipment has been installed in a future mechanical room, located in the the southeast corner of the third floor. Stone cladding continues under plastic sheeting on the north side of the main level.
County Approval of the Richmond Virginia Temple Plans
The Richmond Virginia Temple is moving closer to groundbreaking, which is anticipated to take place in the second or third quarter of this year. Preliminary plans for the temple were submitted to Henrico County in March of 2019. After modifications were made based on staff feedback, a formal set of plans was submitted on September 5, and a second submission followed on November 5 with minor revisions. The Planning Commission granted its approval of the project on November 20 while feedback and approval from various county and state organizations continue to be received. Church representatives are now focused on obtaining the building permits needed for construction to begin.
An Explosive Start to Construction in Saratoga Springs, Utah
Subcontractors for the Saratoga Springs Utah Temple project are having a blast preparing the ground for the future temple and meetinghouse. Precisely placed explosives are breaking through the unyielding bedrock so that excavation may proceed to the required depth. The solid bedrock will provide a firm footing for the buildings' foundations.
Beautiful Day at the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple
The new year brought blue skies to the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple where brick is being laid under bright orange tarps, and finish work is progressing on the interior of the building. The temple will significantly reduce travel time for members who currently drive several hours to perform ordinance work in the temple, especially the Regina Saskatchewan Temple.
Rebar Rising for the Center Tower of the Quito Ecuador Temple
A collection of new photographs shows the construction progress of the Quito Ecuador Temple. Parapet walls are being poured, and rebar is going up for the center tower. Construction of the temple began almost eight months ago. It will join the Guayaquil Ecuador Temple to serve the 250,000 members in that nation.
Preparing to Raze the South Visitors' Center
Construction activity is already underway at Temple Square in Salt Lake City, just days after the closure of the Salt Lake Temple on Sunday. The gate and a portion of the ornamental fencing along the south side of the block have come down, and chain-link fencing is going up to mark the area of construction. The short wrought-iron fence between the temple and South Visitors' Center has been removed, and the concrete surrounding the visitors' center is being crushed and removed in preparation for demolishing the building.
Ornamental Fencing Appears at the Mesa Arizona Temple
The expansive 20-acre grounds surrounding the Mesa Arizona Temple continue to see more hard landscaping in the form of concrete walkways, planters, and ornamental fencing. At the temple, white-framed temporary windows are being replaced with black-framed permanent windows, and framing has gone up for the new west entrance doors. Across the street, structural framing for the Family Discovery Center is advancing rapidly.
Visitors Invited to Tour the Durban South Africa Temple
Public Affairs representatives in South Africa are spreading the word of the upcoming open house for the recently completed Durban South Africa Temple, considered by members of the Church to be the literal House of the Lord. Continuous tour sessions will be offered to visitors of all ages from January 22 through February 1, 2020, and will feature a video presentation and walking tour of the temple. This gift to the community is free of charge, and no donations are solicited.
Salt Lake Temple Closes for Four-Year Renovation
The Salt Lake Temple officially closed for renovation today, and evidence of construction activity could appear as early as this Thursday—the day after New Year's Day. The temple has been packed with couples desiring to be sealed in the temple and patrons wanting to see the interior of the ordinance rooms one last time before the four-year closure. It is anticipated that the South Visitor's Center and portions of the Temple Square wall will be demolished by mid-January.
Temple Milestones in 2019
During the year of 2019, sixteen new temples were announced; ground was broken for eleven temples; seven temples were rededicated including the Asunción Paraguay Temple, Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple, Frankfurt Germany Temple, Memphis Tennessee Temple, Oakland California Temple, Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple, and Raleigh North Carolina Temple; and six temples were dedicated including the Arequipa Peru Temple, Fortaleza Brazil Temple, Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple, Lisbon Portugal Temple, Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple, and Rome Italy Temple.
Frankfurt Germany Temple Water Feature
The beautiful new water feature at the recently rededicated Frankfurt Germany Temple reminds patrons that Christ is the source of eternal life. "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14).
Christmas Eve Break-In at the Logan Utah Temple
A broken window and suspected break-in at the Logan Utah Temple were reported to police early Tuesday morning at about 3:30 a.m. The officers entered the building and spent several hours ensuring that the temple was secure and noting the damage that had been done to windows, walls, and paintings—apparently with an ax. The suspect was located at 7:30 a.m., locked inside a room on the main level. He was taken into custody. Work on making repairs began immediately with the hope that the temple could open on Thursday as previously scheduled, but that has not yet been determined.
Celebration of Safety at the Urdaneta Philippines Temple
The construction team building the Urdaneta Philippines Temple recently hosted a family day to celebrate 500,000 accident-free man-hours on the job. Missionaries from the Urdaneta Zone of the Philippines Urdaneta Mission joined the 1,200 people fed that day, sharing pamphlets and information on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Construction Underway on Vernal Utah Temple Parking Lot Expansion
A major expansion to the parking lot for the Vernal Utah Temple and adjoining stake center has begun on the block and the street east of the buildings. Limited parking has long been a problem for the temple and stake center, which was alleviated somewhat by an overflow lot north of the stake center. The new east lot will eliminate the need for patrons to cross a street or park on the street and will allow landscaping to be added in front of the temple for the first time.
St. George Utah Temple Annex Demolished
The St. George Utah Temple has been fully decommissioned, and renovation activities are evident on all sides of the building. On the north, the longstanding annex that was constructed in the 1970s has been razed, leaving only the east wall and basement of the structure. On the east, plywood has replaced the doors and will protect the uprights along the stairs. On the south, flexible ducts have been connected to each floor of the temple to use during interior demolition. And landscaping has been removed immediately around the temple including the west side.
Underground Work Advancing at the Bangkok Thailand Temple Site
The mass of crisscrossing steel girders that are framing the substructure for the Bangkok Thailand Temple complex has grown larger, and the excavation beneath the steel has grown deeper. Toward the rear side of the property, a small concrete slab has been poured, which will presumably become part of a much larger concrete parking surface.
Clearing the Auckland New Zealand Temple Site
Construction crews and equipment began to arrive at the Auckland New Zealand Temple site last month. A construction barrier was erected, trailers were set up, and heavy equipment was parked on site. In December, site clearing began, leaving the ground grassless in less than three weeks. Work is now set to begin on building a retaining wall and leveling the ground by removing several feet of soil. A formal groundbreaking ceremony will be held once site preparations are finished, allowing crews to take advantage of the summer weather for construction.
Construction Milestone Reached at the Pocatello Idaho Temple
The final section of frame for the spire of the Pocatello Idaho Temple was set in place today, bringing the sacred structure to a height of nearly 200 feet. In the coming months, the spire will be covered in granite, as the work of cladding progresses from the ground floor to the top of the tower. The final height of the building will be achieved when the steeple is crowned with a statue of the angel Moroni.
Quito Ecuador Temple Construction Advancing
The main floor exterior walls are standing for the Quito Ecuador Temple with distinct openings for the windows and entrances. Steel bars line the edges of the building in preparation for pouring parapet walls. The temple is being constructed on a major interchange of the new Ruta Viva highway that connects the Tumbaco Valley with Quito.
Activity at the Saratoga Springs Utah Temple Site
Heavy equipment is scattered across the vast project site for the Saratoga Springs Utah Temple. Crews are installing hard landscaping along Founders Boulevard—the street that connects the temple to the highway (Redwood Road). The temple property itself is being prepared and graded, which involves busting through some of the bedrock to achieve the proper grade.
Inspiring Progress at the Pocatello Idaho Temple
The Pocatello Idaho Temple continues to grow taller with each section of steel frame that is installed for the heaven-reaching spire. On the north side of the building, plastic tarps cover a large section of wall where masons are beginning the work of cladding the exterior in stone. The majority of the ground floor has already been sheathed and protected with a sealant. On the second floor, shiny steel studs are making their appearance along the edges of the temple while many more await their turn to be attached.
Open House Sign Installed at the Durban South Africa Temple
The grounds of the Durban South Africa Temple has a new sign welcoming visitors to attend the upcoming open house beginning Wednesday, January 22, and continuing through Saturday, February 1, 2020, except for Sunday, January 26. The dedication will be held on Sunday, February 16, 2020, in three sessions. A youth devotional will be held the evening prior to the dedication.
Arequipa Peru Temple Dedicated
Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated the Arequipa Peru Temple today, making it the 167th temple in operation and the 3rd in Peru, joining the Lima Peru Temple and Trujillo Peru Temple. At the cornerstone ceremony preceding the dedicatory sessions, Elder Soares said: "Today is a glorious day for all Arequipa and for this beautiful country. At this special moment, we must raise our thoughts to our Heavenly Father and his Son, Jesus Christ who is the true cornerstone of this work and of our lives, on which everything else rests." The evening before the dedication, Elder Soares spoke to youth in a special devotional that was broadcast to meetinghouses in the temple district.
Urdaneta Philippines Temple Exterior Walls Rising
Large bundles of reinforcing bar attached to the rising structure of the Urdaneta Philippines Temple are clearly visible over the construction barrier that surrounds the Church-owned property located south of the city on MacArthur Highway. A row of leafy green trees stand at attention behind the temple, forming a natural barrier and wooded backdrop to the construction site.
Temporary Windows Coming Out at the Mesa Arizona Temple
With interior work advancing at the Mesa Arizona Temple, the temporary windows that have been used for the renovation are being replaced—one by one—with new permanent windows featuring the dark grid pattern of the originals. Bollards are being installed around the temple site, which will provide protection from vehicles entering the grounds. The street along the west side of the temple, South Lesueur, is receiving new curbing and sidewalks. After having been fitted to the platform, the pageant stage is coming down.
Location Announced for the Taylorsville Utah Temple
The location of the Taylorsville Utah Temple has been announced as the site of an existing meetinghouse and recreational field at 2603 West 4700 South. The meetinghouse will be demolished and replaced with the three-story, 70,000-square-foot temple. The 7.5-acre site, situated at the southwest corner of an I-215 interchange, will provide convenient access to patrons and be highly visible to beltway motorists.
Orem Utah Temple Site Announced
The three-story, 70,000-square-foot Orem Utah Temple will be constructed in the southwest corner of Orem, near Utah Valley University, at approximately 1471 South Geneva Road, as announced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on December 11, 2019. The 16-acre tract of land will be shared by a meetinghouse of roughly 20,000 square feet. The future temple will be immediately west of I-15, offering convenience to patrons and a beautiful landmark to interstate motorists.
