Under the direction of the First Presidency, Elder William R. Walker of the Seventy announced plans Feb. 17 for the Ogden Utah Temple to undergo significant remodeling and receive an architectural face lift. Bishop Keith B. McMullin, second counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, was also present for the announcement.
Although no date has been set for the temple to temporarily close for its renovation, artistic renderings of what the temple will look like following the remodeling are already available. According to David R. Hall, director of temple and special projects for the Church, the new face of the Ogden Utah Temple will be a variation of the Draper Utah Temple dedicated in 2009.
"This is a huge investment — it basically is the same cost as building a new temple," said Elder Walker, executive director of the Church's Temple Department. "It is a major investment for the Church to refurbish not just the temple, but all the temple grounds and the [Ogden] Tabernacle will be worked on as well, so it will be like a new temple square here in Ogden."
In conjunction with the renovations to be done to the temple and neighboring tabernacle, the Church will also beautify some of the surrounding downtown areas adjacent to the two central structures. These changes include converting an above-ground parking structure into underground parking, new landscaping that will entail gardens and a fountain being placed on the west side of the temple, and removing the steeple of the Ogden Tabernacle so it no longer competes visually with the temple's steeple.
The temple's inner structure will largely remain the same. However, the temple's entrance will be moved from its west side to the east side. Also, some structural changes will be made to accommodate seismic renovations — for example, the size of the third and fourth floors will be reduced to eliminate the cantilever aspect of the temple's current architecture, wherein the circumference of the upper levels of the temple physically protrude beyond that of the ground-level second floor.
