‘This job demands perfection’: Renovation of St. George Utah Temple crosses 2-year mark

ST. GEORGE — With renovation work on the St. George Utah Temple recently crossing the two-year mark, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released an update on the project Monday.

At the St. George Utah Temple during renovation work, St. George, Utah, time unspecified | Photo courtesy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, St. George News

“One of the main things that we’ve done the last year is to finish all the primary upgrades we needed to do to the historic temple,” Eric Jamison, project manager of the church, said in a press release.

Renovation work on the Pioneer-era temple began with its closure in November 2019. This was followed by an update one year later when local media were invited to see what had been done so far.

The project originally was slated to last about 30 months with a completion date of 2022.

Since the renovation work on the temple began, notable changes and additions have included the teardown and rebuilding of the temple’s northern entrance, as well as the teardown of the western end of the temple that originally was added in the 1970s. It is being rebuilt to better match the temple’s overall architecture.

In this file photo, a part of the LDS St. George Temple that was added in the 1970s is torn down by heavy equipment in order to make way for structural upgrades and renovations, St. George, Utah, January 2020 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News.

Work within the temple is being kept to a high standard, as noted by Lorenzo Brieno, framing foreman from Pete King Commercial.

“This job demands perfection,” he said. “We check the walls three times before the taper comes, and then we check again to make sure its perfect.”

Walls on the interior of the temple’s northern addition are being given what in the industry is called “a level 5 finish.” This is meant to replicate the smoothness of the plaster found in the original 1870s walls of the temple.

“There are some walls that feel like glass they’re so smooth,” said Andy Kirby, director of historic temple renovations for the church.  “They have a special skill, and you can tell that they care about their work.

“When patrons walk into the north entrance of the temple, they’ll feel like they’re in the historic temple, and that’s consistent throughout the building.”

Structural reinforcements also  have been made to the temple’s stone foundation as a part of the renovation, and mechanical and electrical systems also have been upgraded.

At the St. George Utah Temple during renovation work, St. George, Utah, March 28, 2022 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

“We were able to get in and now work on all the mechanicals, electrical and then get into the finish work,” Jamison said.

Landscaping and general improvements to the grounds are on schedule and nearing completion, according to the church press release.

Drought tolerant shrubbery and trees are being used for the landscaping. In addition, a smart weather irrigation system is being installed that will be programmed to sense the optimum time to water the vegetation.

The east entry also is being redone to include a new plaza. A new bride’s exit and plaza is being added to the east side of the western addition, and a new baptistry entrance and exit will be added on the temple’s south side.

“The thing that I’m most proud of is, I think, the teams that have worked together — both contractor, architect, engineers — being able to collaborate and to make something this challenging work,” Jamison said. “It’s just an honor to be able to work on a house of the Lord.”

At the St. George Utah Temple during renovation work, St. George, Utah, time unspecified | Photo courtesy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, St. George News

The St. George Utah Temple is the oldest and longest-operating temple in the church. Construction began in November 1871, and the building was dedicated for use on April 6, 1877. Since that time, the St. George Temple underwent major renovations in 1917, 1938 and 1975.

“The St. George Temple has always maintained a significant role in the history of this great church,” Ralph Atkin, a local public relations official for the church, previously stated.

The temple also is considered significant to the LDS church due to the role it is believed to have played regarding the church’s doctrine involving baptism for the dead.

Prior to its closure, the St. George Utah Temple served 12,000 youth and 90,000 adult members of the church and was operated by a combination of over 3,000 volunteers.

At the St. George Utah Temple during renovation work, St. George, Utah, March 28, 2022 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

Once the renovation is complete, the St. George Utah Temple will be open to the public for a short while for tours to showcase the renovations. After that, the temple will be rededicated for use by church members.

Latter-day Saints consider temples to be the “house of the Lord,” the most sacred places on the earth. Temples differ from the meeting houses or chapels where all are welcome to attend Sunday worship services. In the temple, according to LDS church descriptions, the teachings of Jesus Christ are reaffirmed through marriage, baptism and other ceremonies that unite families for eternity.

While the St. George Utah Temple remains closed during renovation work, the temple visitor center remains open.

Photo gallery

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!