RELIGION
Church leaders announce Salt Lake Temple renovations to be completed in 2025
Dec 13, 2021, 1:54 PM | Updated: 2:06 pm
The process of removing and cataloging stone for repair and restoration from the eastern towers and walls of the temple is viewed from the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, Salt Lake City, December 2021. (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
(The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
SALT LAKE CITY — Renovations on the Salt Lake Temple are estimated to be completed by 2025, according to a statement from The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Church officials provided a monthly update on the massive project, adding demolition of the North Visitors’ Center is scheduled to be completed in January.
“The seismic strengthening of the Salt Lake Temple and the extensive remodel of the Temple and surrounding area are sacred and significant undertakings. As the project has progressed, we have learned a great deal about the condition of the temple and its surroundings,” the statement from The First Presidency read. “The work is truly remarkable and is being guided by the First Presidency. Inspired modifications and additions to the project and scope have been made so the temple and Temple Square can serve many generations yet to come. It is anticipated that the temple and its surroundings will be completed in 2025. We look forward to welcoming the world at that time to visit, tour and learn about this sacred temple and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”
Church leaders closed the Salt Lake Temple on Dec. 29, 2019, and announced further renovations to Temple Square, allowing for better visitor access.
In an effort to make the temple and ground more accessible to the public, the areas to the north and south of the temple are undergoing extensive changes.
The visitors center to the south and current temple annex on the north side – and the wall on both sides – will be replaced with an open corridor, exposing the grounds to South Temple and North Temple passersby.
Progress of the demolition of the North Visitor’s Center on Temple Square, Salt Lake City, December 1, 2021. (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
Demolition of the North Visitors’ Center was announced in June and should be finished by January. Church officials said debris from the building is being separated and recycled, and the replica of the Christus statue, which was carefully removed from the facility this summer for preservation, will be reinstalled on Temple Square at the end of the renovation.
“The area where the North Visitors’ Center previously stood will become a contemplative garden space with clear views of the temple. It will also include additional restrooms to support events in the Tabernacle and Assembly Hall,” officials said.
December construction update
Crews have laid concrete over more than half of the area of the north Salt Lake Temple addition.
Officials said this week, the largest concrete pour to date will form the first quarter of the bottom 42-inch-thick floor of the temple addition.
Some 1,800 cubic yards will be poured over a period of about eight to 10 hours.
Large pipes are being inserted under the existing footings of the building to seismically strengthen the temple.
“These pipes are heavily reinforced with steel and filled with structural concrete to act as supporting beams beneath the existing foundation,” Church officials said. “The soil inside the pipes is initially removed by hand to ensure the pipes are precisely installed.”
About half of the pipes will be dug by hand and half will be drilled with a machine using the large green augers seen in the gallery above.
Crews also began vertical drilling inside the temple’s tower and wall columns. “Once the drilling reaches through the entire structure, post tension cables will be inserted, tensioned into the cavity and anchored into the foundation,” officials said.
Workers on the Church Office Building plaza project are preparing for the future placement of flags to represent the nations of the world. Styrofoam blocks are used as spacers to reduce the weight of the soil on the repaired deck. The blocks will be covered with topsoil for landscaping.
The Church Office Building plaza is prepared to display flags representing the nations of the world and Styrofoam blocks are used as spacers to reduce the weight of the soil on the repaired deck as part of the Temple Square renovation project, Salt Lake City, December 2021. (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
