Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple

Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple
Dedication Scheduled

The temple under construction December 2015
Number 152
Dedication scheduled for 18 September 2016 (18 September 2016)
Site 1.6 acres (0.6 hectares)
Floor area 53,000 sq ft (4,900 m2)
Official website• News & images

Coordinates: 39°57′32.17″N 75°10′5.07″W / 39.9589361°N 75.1680750°W / 39.9589361; -75.1680750

The Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple is a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) under construction in the Logan Square neighborhood of Philadelphia. The intent to construct the temple was announced on October 4, 2008 during the church's 178th Semiannual General Conference by LDS Church president Thomas S. Monson.[2] The temple will be the first in the state of Pennsylvania, and the first temple between Washington, D.C. and New York City.[3]

The structure will serve roughly 1000 of the 25000 Mormons in the Philadelphia area.[3]

History

Location of Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple as found on US Geological Survey map

On November 19, 2009, the church announced that the temple would be built on Vine Street in downtown Philadelphia, directly northeast of Logan Circle.[4][5][6] This location puts the planned temple in the immediate vicinity of several prominent Philadelphia landmarks, and immediately across the street from the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, head church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Ground was broken for the temple on 17 September 2011. Local community leaders were present for the ceremonies which were presided over by Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the church's First Presidency.[7][8][9][10] As of July 2012 no significant work had begun on the temple as a contractor to remove the existing parking lot and start the below ground excavation for the two level parking garage had not been found.[11] In November 2012 the Philadelphia Art Commission granted final approval for the temple design, despite some members feeling the building was too similar to other buildings in the vicinity in its appearance.[12] By February 2013, most of the parking lot on the temple site had been removed. By May 2013, the underground digging for the building of the temple had been completed.

By August 2014 the building had been framed to its full height.[13]

Design and complex

The temple architect is B. Jeffrey Stebar of the Atlanta office of Perkins+Will, a Latter-day Saint who has served as a bishop and currently serves in an LDS stake presidency.

In February 2014, city and church officials announced that a meetinghouse and a 32-story residential building will be built on a lot adjacent to the temple site, at 1601 Vine Street. The residential structure and meetinghouse were designed by Paul L. Whalen of RAMSA. The meetinghouse will include a family history center. The residential building is anticipated to include 258 apartments and 13 townhouses, along with retail space, and be subject to regular, applicable taxes.[3]

Open house and dedication

On January 21, 2016, the LDS Church announced that a public open house will be held from Friday, August 5, 2016 through Saturday, September 3, 2016, excluding Sundays. The temple will be dedicated on Sunday, September 18, 2016.[14]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Mikita, Carole (October 4, 2008), LDS Church plans temples in Rome, 4 other locations, KSL.com, retrieved 2012-11-05
  2. ↑ Dougherty, James M (October 4, 2008), "Rome LDS temple, four others announced", Deseret News, retrieved 2012-11-05
  3. 1 2 3 McCrystal, Laura (14 February 2014). "Mormons to build 32-story tower near Center City". Philly.com. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  4. ↑ "Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple Site Announced", News Story, LDS Church, November 19, 2009, retrieved 2012-11-05
  5. ↑ Askar, Jamshid (Nov 27, 2009), "Downtown site for Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple", Church News, retrieved 2012-11-05
  6. ↑ Swensen, Jason (December 11, 2010), "Church buys land for Philadelphia temple", Church News, retrieved 2012-11-05
  7. ↑ "Church Breaks Ground for Philadelphia Pennsylvania, Trujillo Peru Temples", News Release, LDS Church, September 17, 2011, retrieved 2012-11-05
  8. ↑ O'Reilly, David (September 18, 2011), "Construction to begin on Philadelphia's Mormon temple", Philadelphia Inquirer, retrieved 2012-11-05.
  9. ↑ Rosenlof, Celeste Tholen (September 18, 2011), LDS Church breaks ground for first temple in Pennsylvania, KSL.com, retrieved 2012-11-05
  10. ↑ Sowby, Laurie Williams (September 20, 2011), "President Eyring returns home for Philadelphia Temple groundbreaking", Church News, retrieved 2012-11-05
  11. ↑ "Fall groundbreaking expected for Philadelphia's Mormon temple" David O'Reilly, Philadelphia Inquirer, July 26, 2012
  12. ↑ Plan Philly, Nov. 8, 2012
  13. ↑ August 23, 2014 LDS Church News article on progress on the Philadelphia Temple
  14. ↑ "The First Presidency Announces Open House and Dedication Dates for Three Temples: Temples to open in Sapporo, Japan, Freiberg, Germany, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania", Newsroom (LDS Church), 2016-01-21

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