Temple Square update: Joseph Smith Memorial Building reopens to the public

After 2.5 years of renovation, select areas of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building — located at Temple Square — are once again open to the public.

As of June 30, guests can visit the lobby and mezzanine of the building, according to a news release on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

During renovations, the building received upgrades that include energy-efficient lighting controls, seismic updates, increased accessibility and more elevators.

The Nauvoo Cafe has also reopened, now as the Garden Restaurant. The restaurant, which is housed in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, will feature menu items such as Lion House rolls, turkey pot pies and a selection of soups, salads and made-to-order sandwiches.

Those interested can visit the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, from Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The chapel and other parts of the building are still under construction.

Other Temple Square updates include the Salt Lake Temple’s placement on new footings and base isolators, which act as buffers between the temple’s foundation and the ground, reducing building movement during an earthquake.

The temple’s seismic upgrade is now in its final stages, with cables running from the top to the base of the temple and horizontally from wall to wall being pulled to a half-million pounds of pressure, reinforcing the structure’s strength.

The west baptismal font is in its final work stage as crews lay floor tiles, and workers are reinstalling stones to their original locations in the northeast tower, some by hand. Each stone is securely anchored by steel rods.