New Gilbert Temple announced — three miles from my house! [updated]
So I found out just yesterday that the church officially announced it will be building a new temple here in Gilbert Arizona. I thought that was pretty cool. Then I found out where they plan to build it and realized that it is like 2 miles from my house (as the crow flies). That rules. No more of those arduous 45 minute drives into Mesa!! But seriously, I’m pretty stoked about it. Rumor has it this will be a fully operational temple, albeit not a giant one. I guess there are benefits to living near a lot of Morms.
Update: Brian Duffin sent me the picture below but it is reportedly actually a picture of the Panama temple:
Update 2: This one should be more accurate
wow – is mesa so busy as to need another temple?
Comment by jay s — April 28, 2008 @ 10:28 am
Do you know exactly where it will be? I know nothing about the area, but when I look at satellite pictures of LDS chapels in Gilbert, I notice that there is a lot of empty land around the chapel on N Val Vista Dr., north of E Elliot Rd. That’s my guess as to where it would go. It looks like there is a house right next to the chapel as well, kind of splitting that whole parcel. Have they annouced the site?
Comment by Timburriaquito — April 28, 2008 @ 10:37 am
The temple will be built near the intersection of Greenfield and Pecos per Don Evans, local Church spokesperson.
Comment by Brian Duffin — April 28, 2008 @ 10:43 am
Cool! Gilbert isn’t very large, I have ex-relatives and a grandson who must be your neighbors!
Comment by Howard — April 28, 2008 @ 10:55 am
this is inspiring really. moving to this area was a decision our family made 4+ years ago. i hate the commute to anything, but the decision to move to this area has proved correct. the best of friends, a great community, good place for my kids and a church strength that is amazing (almost annoying at times :-)). the addition of a temple nearby is really inspiring. and reminds me of the last time i went — which was WAY too long ago.
Comment by timheuer — April 28, 2008 @ 11:20 am
We will miss you Geoff. :)
Comment by Eric Nielson — April 28, 2008 @ 11:30 am
I just wonder when they plan to build it. Hopefully within 12-18 months…
And yes, Brother H, we do have awesomely awesome neighbors in these parts.
Comment by Geoff J — April 28, 2008 @ 11:50 am
I just noticed that Brian Duffin posted on this topic as well. See here.
Comment by Geoff J — April 28, 2008 @ 12:32 pm
Geoff,
It’s great to have a temple close. When they built the one in Spokane (about 5 miles from our home) it made a big difference in our temple attendance. Driving 5+ hours to Seattle or 5+ minutes!!
We actually go more than once a year now…my wife makes me go every month…bless her heart!
Comment by Don — April 28, 2008 @ 2:58 pm
Interesting. We live where there are lots of Morms, and we are 45 minutes from our temple, Maybe there’s hope of Lethbridge getting a temple. :)
Comment by Kim Siever — April 28, 2008 @ 3:08 pm
The temple here in San Antonio is about 10 minutes away. It is a blessing. Thanks for this reminder to go.
Comment by Matt W. — April 28, 2008 @ 7:25 pm
Thanks for the link back, Geoff.
I am excited for the temple to be built and can’t wait to see how big, or small, the temple will be.
The location for the temple will be a quick drive from my home. The Mesa temple is just over 15 miles from my home and the Gilbert temple location is just over 11 miles from my home.
Comment by Brian Duffin — April 28, 2008 @ 8:01 pm
In my ward a bishopric member said something to the effect that it would be like the San Diego Temple. I didn’t get a chance to ask him further his source(s), and if he meant like San Diego in architecture or just size.
Comment by stoked — April 28, 2008 @ 9:10 pm
I have heard that the Gilbert Temple will be a smaller one.
Timburriaquito, that chapel you’re talking about (Val Vista & Elliott) is where I go to church. It’s not as new or nice as where they are actually going to build the temple, just south of a new freeway (loop 202).
Comment by California Condor — April 28, 2008 @ 9:18 pm
P. S. Gilbert and Queen Creek have lots of Mormons but don’t move there if you work in downtown Phoenix unless you love long commutes in traffic.
Comment by California Condor — April 28, 2008 @ 9:19 pm
The Greenfield Chaple is due south of the intersection of GF and Pecos. I too live about a mile from there and am Pumped!! It will be interesting as our new Stake Center (Chandler East) has been on the books for a while and held up at the city. Wonder who will get done first!
Comment by CLW — April 29, 2008 @ 1:46 pm
I was really hoping this would happen in Glendale instead of out in the East Valley. I realize there are more members out there, but driving from Central Phoenix to go to the temple in evening traffic is such a pain (I have no idea how those of you who have to commute from Phoenix to Chandler/Gilbert/Mesa/QueenCreek handle the traffic every day).
There are quite a lot of members in the west valley now and even though I knew having a Central Phoenix Temple was unrealistic, I thought a West Valley temple would at least be easier for us to get to without all that drive time.
But alas, I love living in Central Phoenix too much to move out to the east valley just to be closer to the temple.
Comment by bandanamom — April 30, 2008 @ 9:35 am
Scottsdale is the best city in the Phoenix metro area.
Comment by California Condor — April 30, 2008 @ 12:22 pm
There is a temple 3.4 miles away. But they are building one 3.2 miles away.
What is interesting to me is that many temples have rather limited operating hours due to lack of attendance, but the ones on the Wasatch Front are constantly crowded.
Comment by a random John — April 30, 2008 @ 10:17 pm
That picture is not the Gilbert Temple. It is a rendering of the Panama City Temple. I noticed that a photographer posted that picture online with a blog post about the Gilbert Temple. The photographer figured that the Gilbert Temple might look like the Panama City temple.
I suggest you take it down.
Comment by California Condor — May 4, 2008 @ 1:16 am
Thanks for the heads up CC. I like the picture but I put a disclaimer next to it.
Comment by Geoff J — May 4, 2008 @ 8:52 am
I just updated this post with a new picture. That is the correct intersection so this one looks more likely to be real.
Comment by Geoff J — September 5, 2009 @ 3:42 pm
Where is the temple goin to be located?
Comment by michelle — May 11, 2010 @ 5:49 pm
Pecos and Greenfield.
Comment by Geoff J — May 11, 2010 @ 5:55 pm
Big news! The Gilbert Temple finally got approved. I imagine groundbreaking will be soon.
See here.
Comment by Geoff J — July 16, 2010 @ 10:57 am
did the lds really need this monstrous eyesore? I wonder how many homes could have been built or poor people fed.
[Edited for brevity] PS — I am an troll with an axe to grind with Mormons.
Comment by dustin — September 7, 2012 @ 5:22 am
Dustin,
The answer to your question is yes, we did need this temple.
Temples keep people spiritually fed. In the eternal scheme of things that is vastly important as well.
PS — You’re welcome for the editing job I did on the last part of your comment.
Comment by Geoff J — September 7, 2012 @ 10:12 am