N.Y. temple to get spire

NEW YORK — The Manhattan Temple, which will be dedicated this weekend, will soon look more like other LDS temples — a spire with the angel Moroni is to be added to the refurbished building.

Situated one block west of Central Park and kitty-corner from the Lincoln Center, which houses the Julliard School of Music and other major performing arts venues, the temple will be set off from the current boxy, multitiered skyline in the surrounding area.

The church has received clearance from the city to construct a spire on the building's southwest corner, and the spire will be topped with a gold figure of Moroni, a key figure in the faith's foundational scripture, the Book of Mormon.

Meanwhile, the countdown toward Sunday's dedication of the temple has begun here for more than 42,000 area Latter-day Saints, whose growing presence has attracted the attention of not only New Yorkers but major media across the country and in Europe.

There are also plans for another temple roughly 25 miles to the north. However, church officials remain mum on the progress of the White Plains, N.Y., temple, whose construction has been bogged down by a series of lawsuits, traffic studies and delays.

More than 53,000 visitors attended the monthlong open house in Manhattan, which concluded last weekend, with "people from all walks of life and religious backgrounds" having attending the 40-minute tour, according to Brent Belnap, chairman of the temple committee.

The tours were followed by a reception in the meetinghouse that is also inside the six-story building that was renovated to house the temple.

Floors one, two, five and six now comprise the temple's 20,630 square feet. Floors three and four contain a meetinghouse for several local congregations, as well as administrative offices for the church.

The temple is one of only two LDS temples worldwide that is not free-standing and surrounded by greenery and gardens. At present, the temple could easily be mistaken for just another office building in midtown Manhattan, with only the name of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a distinguishing feature.

Belnap said he was pleased with public response so far.

"It's fair to say a lot of tour guides, as they were taking people through, would notice this hard edge New York skepticism or demeanor just literally melt away. By the end of the tour, they said there was just such a different tone and attitude" among visitors.