May 2024 Status on the Renovation of Temple Square
This visit revealed for the first time that two buildings to the north of the temple have risen out of the ground. There are two of them located near the north temple street. Here is an initial rendering of the east side of Temple Square.
Temple and Temple Experience Center Update
The eastern half of temple square contains the following:
The original temple.
The new northern extension of the temple - most of the building is underground, with smaller buildings rising above on the east and west sides.
The new Temple Experience Center,
Main Street which runs along the East Side of Temple Square and the West Side of Office Square had automobile traffic until 2003. It was then converted to a walkway, with a large reflecting pool. It then became know as Main Street Plaza. The Plaza was closed for restoration work in 2020 and was re-opened in early 2024. With Main Street Plaza open, people can now see the contruction progress on the east side of the temple.
The new west foundation of the temple. It is about six feet in depth and fifteen feet in height. It is the new foundation walls that sit on the base isolators so that all of the temple will move as a single unit during an earth quake. The temple is tied to the foundation walls by the steel cables you see protrududing through the foundation.
Here is a wide view of east foundation wall. It looks similar to what we see on the west side. The steel cables that hold up the temple run between the east and west sides of the temple.
A brand new statue of the Angel Moroni was hoisted onto the center spire on the East side of the temple on April 2, 2024.
A view of Angel Moroni from the northwest side of the temple. In order to make sure that crowds would not gather to see the angel Moroni hoisted to the top of the central spire, it was not announced publically. The workers on temple square all stopped what they were doing to watch. Television stations were notified of the event so they could show it on their news programs.
Exterior tower elevators are a common method to allow workers to access scaffolding or enter various floors of a building from the outside. This method is often useful when brining large items into a building. This is the southwest elevator. This elevator has been visible throughtout construction.
Exterior tower elevators are a common method to allow workers to access scaffolding or enter various floors of a building from the outside. This method is often useful when brining large items into a building. This is the southwest elevator. This elevator has been visible throughtout construction.
The southeast elevator was largely hidden until Main Street Plaza was reopened. Scaffolding on the exterior of the temple is bolted into the foundation walls below. This allows exterior access at all levels of the old structure. The scoffolding still reaches upward to the level of the spires.
This view of the temple is from the Church Office Building Plaza, looking west toward the temple. This view was made possible by the opening of Main Street Plaza.
This view is from northeast of the temple taken from Main Street Plaza. Just right of center is scaffolding that allows workers to ascend from or descend to the ground. This would be exceptionally useful if both exteriors elevators were inoperable
As you walk down Main Street Plaza you see this steel structure than runs out of the temple and a box on the plaza that adjoins the construction wall. In this photo you see a pipe under the structure that comes from the temple. On top of this structure there are metal plates that a worker can walk on, but that surface is not flat and it takes some care to do that.
Once that pipe goes through the construction wall at the edge of Main Street Plaza you find this wooden box. It is clear that the pipe comes into this box and goes underground. I have no idea what this pipe is for. This box is not permanent.
Over the past six months two buildings that are part of the north temple extension have risen out of the ground. One is in the northwest corner of the extension and the other which appears to be identical is in the northeast section. This is the northeast building.
These two cranes service the building of the north extension of the temple. The one to the west is just beyond the construction wall that borders the garden area.
Garden Area Update - 100% complete
The garden area north of the tabernacle once included a large lawn area (which at Christmas time included a manger sceen) as well as the old North Visitor's Center which is now a distant memory, After the Christus statue was removed from the Visitor's Center to the Conference Center, the north visitor center was demolished and removed. The work in this area was 100% complete in November 2023, however, there was a tower crane that services the work on the north extension of the temple that was accessible in this area. Before the area was opened to the public, a construction wall had to be relocated so that the tower crane was inside the construction area.
The garden area is designed as a place to relax and enjoy the peace of temple square. Once the construction is over and the accompanying noise is gone I fell this area will achieve its purpose.
There is one building in the garden area. It is located next to the new west wall of temple square. I knew this would building would include rest rooms, but it looked like it might be a two story building. It is just a single story building and the celings are very tall.
This is the only lawn area in the Northwest garden. Large enough for Christmas displays.
This is a view of the northwest corner of the garden area just north of the restroom building.
A new entrace to Temple Square and the Northwest Garden from North Temple.
This is the wide sidewalk along North Temple (west side).The former solid wall around temple square is being replaced by decorative iron in many places. You can see the new iron wall in this photo.
This is the northeast corner of the garden area. Along the left side is the current construction wall. Just on the other side of that wall (where you see the wall move to the right) is one of the tower cranes that services the north addition to th temple. Perhaps it also assisted in moving some heavy stones into the garden which peple can sit on. Since this crane seems to be seldom used, it may be among the first to be taken down.
The garden area looking northwest from the north side of the tabernacle. The tower crane on the left had the costruction walled moved so that it was inside the construction area.
The west temple wall looking northward from the old center west temple entrance. While the wall looks like the original it was built with new bricks to match the old wall. You can see the new iron wall in the distance
A planter box typical of the area. This view shows the south wall of the restroom building and looks eastward toward the temple.
This is the restroom building. It is the only building in the northwest part of temple square.
This restroom facility has a very nice lobby.
The restroom sinks and mirrors. The open access to the plumbing below was due to a lack of materials. I've verified that the pipes in the men's restroom has been hidden under the sinks.
South of the Restroom building is a nice patio. The blackstone is the right height for small children to sit on.
The northeast corner of the garden area and the construction wall. This view looks south to the Tabernacle.
A small pavillion. This area and others like it have pea gravel as the floor.
In the southwest part of the garden, the seating is provided by large stones. This is the kids seating stone.
This is the adults seating stone. I think these stones were cut so that the seating area is quite flat.
Assembly Hall and the new Garden Area South of the Tabernacle - Bringing the new garden experience southward.
After the northwest garden area was complete, work on the garden went from north of the tabernacle to the south side where the Assembly Hall is located. The Assemby Hall is a smaller but more ornate meeting hall, built in the pioneer era. The Assembly Hall is used for gatherings don't require the large number of seats in the Tabernacle. The look and feel of the large garden area north of the tabernacle is now being extended south of the tabernacle. The Seagull Monument has been removed. It is not clear if it will be returned or not as part of the renovation.
The Assembly Hall, located at the southwest corner of temple square. It is a pioneer era meeting house used for small gatherings that don't require seating for a large group such as can be accomodated in the taberbacle or the conference center. It is often used to host musical events, as well as some leadership meetings.
Near the north-south center walkway of Temple Square and just south of the tabernacle, we found forms are inplace to create a large planter box.
A wide shot of the area between the Tabernacle and the Assembly Hall from the northeast corner of the garden area. The garden area hear while not as big as north of the Taberbnacle will match the garden on the north side of the Tabernacle.
Near the old west gate to temple square looking southward you can see where the old west wall of temple squre has been removed. In its place will be a mixture of new brick wall and new iron fencing.
The west end of the Assembly Hall as seen from West Temple Street. New Waterproofing can be seen around the foundation wall.
Main Street Plaza - Substantially complete - work continuses on the entry to underground parking from North Temple
Once a road, Main Street was closed between South Temple and North Temple. It's main features are:
Brigham Young statue
Garden area
Reflecting Pond
Entrance from North Temple to underground parking for Church Employees
The reflecting pond on Main Street Plaza doing what reflecting pond do best. The edge of the pond all the way around must be at the same level.
Main Street Plaza Looking South. The Brigham Young momument can be seen against the blue sky.
Main Street Plaza looking North. The Conference Center is seen on the left behind the trees and the Relief Society Building and the Church History Library can be seen on the right side.
