Several Temple Square plaza areas reopen as renovations continue

Derick Fox
·3 min read

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Four years after renovations on downtown Salt Lake City’s temple and surrounding area began, several plaza areas will begin reopening starting Saturday, Jan. 6.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints announced the plaza by the Church Office Building as well as the north part of the Main Street Plaza and the northwest plaza area of Temple Square will reopen on Saturday. The south side of Main Street Plaza will reopen weeks later in mid-February.

The plaza renovations include newly installed waterproofing and snow-melting heating conduits as well as a 92-flag pole art installation which Church officials said will serve as a symbol of the Church’s global nature and commitment to be a friend to all.

View of the Salt Lake Temple from the plaza at Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, on November 28, 2023. The area will reopen to the public on Saturday, January 6, 2024. (Courtesy: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
View of the Salt Lake Temple from the plaza at Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, on November 28, 2023. The area will reopen to the public on Saturday, January 6, 2024. (Courtesy: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
New plaza looking south between the Church Administration Building (left) and the Joseph Smith Memorial Building (right). The area will reopen to the public on Saturday, January 6, 2024. (Courtesy: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
New plaza looking south between the Church Administration Building (left) and the Joseph Smith Memorial Building (right). The area will reopen to the public on Saturday, January 6, 2024. (Courtesy: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
View of the Salt Lake Temple from the northwest corner of Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, on November 28, 2023. The plaza area will reopen to the public on Saturday, January 6, 2024. (Courtesy: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
View of the Salt Lake Temple from the northwest corner of Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, on November 28, 2023. The plaza area will reopen to the public on Saturday, January 6, 2024. (Courtesy: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

Throughout the year, the Church will fly the flag of officially recognized United Nations countries. The flag oval will begin with the United States flag on the plaza’s northwest corner. 91 additional flags will rotate every three months in alphabetical order according to the English name of the country.

All 92 flags will be always illuminated and flown at full-staff. The church said the U.S. and State of Utah flags in front of the Church Administration Building, the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and Conference Center will be lowered to half-staff during days of mourning.

The flags won’t be raised right away, however, with Church officials saying they will be put in place “at a later date.”

Church officials said as the plazas begin to open, work on other areas of the Temple Square grounds will begin and close, including the Assembly Hall and its surrounding gardens.

Utah’s Hogle Zoo welcomes deadliest cat on the planet, the black-footed cat

The Assembly Hall, which was completed in 1882, will undergo a “limited renovation” including structural repairs, mechanical improvements and plaster repairs. Crews will also remove the restroom buildings and portions of the wall as well as update the surrounding landscaping.

Renovations on the Beehive and Lion Houses have also already begun. The Church said workers will begin clearing the plants and trees around the foundation of the two houses for inspection and repairs. New landscaping will be planted including drought-resistant plants and water-wise irrigation.

The renovation of the Salt Lake Temple and surrounding Temple Square is expected to be completed in 2026.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.