Posted by:
Beth
(
)
Date: July 24, 2012 12:45AM
Once upon a time, I had a blog. It wasn't a very good blog until TSCC started lurking me about six times a day because I was making fun of the Phila MP.
Anyway, in 2009, I wrote this (I'll try to expand the links):
"_Mormon Leaders Lack Divine Inspiration When Picking Philadelphia Parking Lots_
Hokay, so. We're getting a temple. It was announced in 2008. First it was going to be on Broad Street at a location that is currently a parking lot and a stone's throw away from the Masonic Temple. Cool. Cool.
Well, it turns out that they paid $4M for a parking lot that was less than an acre, and lo and behold, the damned thing was contaminated. So they bought some land on Logan Square (which we all know is really a circle and maybe a potter's field), and well, they bought another parking lot, but this one is 1.6 acres. I have no idea how much the land costs, and well, the deal hasn't been finalized yet. So, who knows when or if that thing is going to be built.
Now don't get all excited about the above picture [SLC Temple]. We're not getting that. If we do get a temple, we're going to get a high-rise temple like this one in Manhattan
http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/manhattan/ or this one in Hong Kong
http://www.dheinternet.com/images/hong_kong_lds_mormon_temple.jpg. I'm sure that it will jibe with the architecture of the Parkway, the Rodin, the Museum of Natural History (or whatever it's called), the Phila Museum of Art, the Free Library, the Franklin Institute and the Basilica (but those Catholics are gonna be PISSED when they can't find a place to park). Who am I kidding? Those high-rise temples are quite fug.
Some dude named B. Jeffrey Stebar (a bishop in the LDS church, but their idea of a bishop probably isn't quite the same as your idea of a bishop if you're not LDS) is designing the temple. He works for Perkins + Will
http://www.perkinswill.com/. Not Perkins and Will, mind you. They're a mathematical equation. Thing is, Perkins + Will doesn't seem to = Stebar, because he's not listed on their site. No matter. They don't have any plans drawn up yet, anyway. [I called the firm and asked for artistic renderings.]
So, yeah. We're getting a temple. Here's the Inquirer article if you'd like a little more info (they closed the comments pretty quickly) [link is now borked].
Cheers!
UPDATE (8/31/11) Thanks to Anonymous's eagle eye or Google search or whatever, we now have a link for Mr. Jeff Stebar.
http://www.perkinswill.com/people/jeff.stebar.html Seems like a nice guy, designs stuff for students. Nice. I'll give him a call later. Thanks, Anon, and good luck, Mr. Stebar!"
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/24/2012 12:47AM by Beth.