Philly Temple - Big Hole by October 1

From the Philly.com:

When tents went up on a vacant parking lot near Logan Square and leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hoisted ceremonial shovels, the rise of Pennsylvania's first Mormon temple seemed imminent.

That was last September. Today, the asphalt remains undisturbed at 1739 Vine St.

"We thought groundbreaking would be in April, then July," said church spokeswoman Corinne Dougherty.

Architects now expect excavation for the 53,000-square-foot, $70 million temple to start in early fall and construction in the spring, with two years to completion.

"There should be a big hole in the ground by Oct. 1," said Michael Kihn, a principal at the Philadelphia office of Perkins & Will, an architecture firm based in Chicago.

A demolition and excavation contractor has yet to be chosen, Kihn said, and the designs for the interior and exterior are still being refined. Once church leaders give the nod, those designs must be submitted to city agencies for approval and permits.

The entire site of 1.6 acres will be opened below grade, Kihn said, and prepared for a two-story underground parking garage.

Read the the rest of the article from July 26, 2010.

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