Last week the LDS Church unveiled its design for the new Gilbert Temple
A detailed site plan went before the Gilbert Design Review Board in a study session on Thursday and could come back for approval in July.
The Temple will be 83,000 square feet and will use ivory-colored stone and concrete and feature leaded-glass windows. A 195-foot spire will rise from the center of the three-story structure, capped by a gold-plated statue of a trumpeting angel, a trademark symbol of Mormon temples.
Colorful gardens with water features and accent lighting around the temple are meant to encourage contemplation, meditation and rest, according to a report submitted to the board.
The 15-acre site near Greenfield and Pecos roads would have 658 parking spaces and room for a future meeting house, which would likely be built within two to four years, town planner Amy Temes said.
The meeting house will include a chapel for Sunday worship services, which are open to the general public. The temple itself will be closed Sundays. Only church members are admitted to the temple.
Temples are used for church ceremonies such as weddings, baptisms on behalf of deceased ancestors and instructional ceremonies.
Pre-construction work on the temple site begins this month, and the church plans to hold a formal groundbreaking ceremony after the design receives final approval. Church officials estimate it will take about two years to build the temple.
During a preliminary evaluation, the Design Review Board asked questions about potential parking and traffic-flow issues but voiced no major concerns over the temple design.
The next Design Review Board meeting is scheduled for July 15
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