The Salt Lake Temple has been closed for renovation since December 2019. The Church Office Building plaza closed for an upgrade in February 2021. The following is the latest in a series of regular updates about these projects.
In the second week of November, crews began demolishing the North Visitors’ Center. Earlier in 2021, it was announced this building would be removed as part of the ongoing Salt Lake Temple renovation project. The area will be replaced with a contemplative garden space with clear views of the temple. It will also include additional restroom facilities to support events in the Tabernacle and Assembly Hall.
Temple Square Renovation November 2021
Crews demolish the North Visitors’ Center to make room for new gardens and restrooms as part of the Salt Lake Temple renovation project, Salt Lake City, Utah, November 2021.© 2021 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.The excavation is nearing completion in the area north of the temple. This area will accommodate three additional floors of the temple addition, with two baptistries, added sealing rooms, dressing rooms, and administrative offices. Crews began laying concrete to create a working slab. This will provide a clean and level working surface for the foundation of the new floors.
Temple Square Renovation November 2021
Excavation on the north side of the Salt Lake Temple nears completion. The north addition of the temple will accommodate three additional floors for baptistries, sealing rooms, dressing rooms and offices, Salt Lake City, Utah, November 2021.© 2021 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
Temple Square Renovation November 2021
Crews begin laying concrete to create a level working surface for the foundation of the temple addition as part of the Salt Lake Temple renovation project, Salt Lake City, Utah, November 2021.© 2021 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
Temple Square Renovation November 2021
Retaining walls surrounding the Salt Lake Temple are deepened with more excavation during the Salt Lake Temple renovation project, Salt Lake City, Utah, November 2021.© 2021 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Excavation continues on the north side of the temple as workers deepen the retaining walls.
Temple Square Renovation November 2021
The underground tunnel that will connect lower levels of the temple to the Conference Center can be seen as excavation and retaining wall work continue during the Salt Lake Temple renovation project, Salt Lake City, Utah, November 2021.© 2021 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.The “jack and bore” process continues. This process consists of inserting large pipes under the existing footings of the temple. These pipes are heavily reinforced with steel and filled with structural concrete to act as supporting beams beneath the existing foundation of the temple.
In this photo, the pipe is being inserted while a fan provides fresh air to the workers who remove the soil inside the pipe.
Temple Square Renovation November 2021
A pipe is inserted under existing footings of the temple while a fan provides fresh air to the workers who remove the soil inside the pipe as part of the “jack and bore” process amid the Salt Lake Temple renovation project, Salt Lake City, Utah, November 2021. © 2021 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.The picture below shows a complete jack and bore beam filled with structural concrete. On its left is a pipe in the process of being inserted under the footings of the temple. The worker inside the pipe gradually removes the soil to allow the pipe to be gradually inserted under the existing footing. At this location, under the west towers of the Temple, the pipes are 40 feet (12 meters) long.
Temple Square Renovation November 2021
(Left) A pipe, mid-jack and bore process, is inserted under the footings of the temple. A worker inside removes the soil to allow the pipe to be pushed under the existing footing. (Right) A completed jack and bore beam filled with structural concrete, Salt Lake City, Utah, November 2021.© 2021 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.This photo shows a completed jack and bore pipe installation that is filled with concrete on the right. Another pipe is being prepared on the left.
Temple Square Renovation November 2021
Renovators work on large pipes under the Salt Lake Temple during the seismic-strengthening process of jack and bore. A completed pipe can be seen on the right, Salt Lake City, Utah, November 2021.© 2021 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.On the temple roof, preparation is underway to begin the work of vertically drilling inside the tower and wall columns. This will be done to insert post-tension cables that will be anchored into the new foundation of the temple some 80 feet (24 meters) or more below. The machine in the photo below will be used to perform precision vertical drilling inside the stone columns and walls. Two large drilling platforms have been built to provide adequate working areas for this complex and delicate work near the west towers.
Temple Square Renovation November 2021
A machine is prepared to perform precision vertical drilling inside the stone of the tower and wall columns from the temple rooftop during the Salt Lake Temple renovation project, Salt Lake City, Utah, November 2021.© 2021 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Waterproofing continues on the Church Office Building plaza area.
Temple Square Renovation November 2021
Crews waterproof the plaza on the south side of the Church Office Building, Salt Lake City, Utah, November 2021.© 2021 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.This area is being prepared for flag stands to represent the nations of the world.
Temple Square Renovation November 2021
A crescent-shaped flag exhibit is installed just outside the Church Office Building to display flags representing the nations of the world, Salt Lake City, Utah, November 2021.© 2021 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.