PROVO, Utah -- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints granted the media a look at the progress being made on one of its temples.
The Provo City Center Temple is being built on the site of the former Provo Tabernacle, which was ravaged by fire in December 2010.
"It went through a tragic fire, but it's being repurposed with a stronger foundation into a higher purpose," said construction manager Andy Kirby.
The tabernacle's brick walls, which are mostly intact after the fire, are to be incorporated into the new temple. The walls are currently sitting on stilts as work crews focus their efforts on the basement area.
"We put 146 piles in ground, 9-inch diameter steel casings with concrete in the center. And steel rods, they go 90 feet deep into the ground," Kirby said.
There will be some new elements, but the staircase and stained glass windows of the building will be restored as the past and present combine.
Construction on the temple is expected to be completed by the end of 2014.
Note: The 3D artist rendering of the Provo City Center temple is courtesy Brian Olson. See the entire video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJBrc8W0oa8
