SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Nov. 29, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced plans to renovate two historic buildings in downtown Salt Lake City.
The LDS Church-owned Lion House at 63 E. South Temple and Beehive House at 67 E. South Temple both will undergo renovations in 2023.
The renovation projects will address structural deficiencies, preservation of aging finishes and replacement of outdated mechanical systems, as well as updating the guest experience at the historic buildings, church officials said in a news release Tuesday.
The Beehive House is scheduled to close for renovations April 8; the Lion House has been closed since 2020, the release states.
The LDS Church also plans to renovate the Joseph Smith Memorial Building at 15 E. South Temple in early 2023.
The renovations will include improved guest and event spaces, additional elevators, and upgraded restaurants, church officials said. The building, its restaurants and event spaces will be closed during the renovations.
All three buildings are expected to reopen in 2025, church officials said.
The Lion House was the family home of Brigham Young, Utah’s first governor and the second president of the LDS Church. The three-story home was constructed in 1856 and gets its name from the large stone lion statue above the front entrance, the release states.
The Beehive House was the official residence of three LDS Church presidents: Brigham Young, Lorenzo Snow and Joseph F. Smith. The three-story home has been restored to its 19th-century appearance and is open for tours, according to the news release.
The Joseph Smith Memorial Building is a multipurpose, 10-story administrative office building and social center, with restaurants, meeting rooms, and banquet/wedding reception areas.
