Just like the legacy temples being renovated, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints owns historic buildings around temple square in Salt Lake City that are aging and in need of repairs.

On Tuesday, the church announced that The Beehive House and the Lion House will undergo restoration work in 2023. The Beehive House will close on April 8, 2023, for the work while the Lion House has been closed since 2020.

According to a church statement, the project will focus on structural deficiencies, preservation of aging finishes, replacement of outdated mechanical systems and updating guest experiences.

Renovations to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building will begin in early 2023 to upgrade electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems. The renovations will include improved guest and event spaces, additional elevators and upgraded restaurants, according to the church.

The space will be closed to the public while undergoing these renovations. All three buildings are expected to reopen in 2025.

With this and the renovations of the Salt Lake Temple, Temple Square and the plaza at the Church Office Building, tourists will have a better experience and all the buildings will be ready for future patrons and visitors.

Beehive house

The Beehive House was the official residence of three presidents of the church — Brigham Young, Lorenzo Snow and Joseph F. Smith. The three-story home is located at the intersection of State Street and South Temple. Young was also governor of the Utah Territory and the Beehive House was used to receive and entertain visitors at the time.

The Beehive House was constructed in 1854. It gets its name from the beehive sculpture that adorns the top of the mansion — a church wide symbol of cooperation, industry and hard work. The Beehive House was the anchor for Brigham Young’s large property holdings and was a family home for several generations of church leaders.

Along with the Lion House, the Beehive House was built to accommodate Young’s large family. Two small offices next door to the Beehive House served as church headquarters for more than 60 years.

Following the death of Smith, the Beehive House became a boarding home for young women living in Salt Lake City. The home was operated by the church’s Young Women organization and was used by many young women until the 1950s.

The Beehive House reopened as a historic house museum in 1961, following a major restoration project. Today, the Beehive House tour focuses on family life and leadership for those who lived in the home between 1854 and 1918.

Lion house

The Lion House was Young’s home. It was constructed in 1856 and gets its name from the large stone lion statue above the front entrance, which was sculpted by William F. Ward. The home sits near the corner of State Street and South Temple.

The house had 26 bedrooms to accommodate Young’s family, which included 55 wives and 56 children. An official manifesto in 1890 ended the practice of plural marriage in the church.

The Lion House also functioned as classroom space for LDS University in the early twentieth century. In the 1960s, the building was preserved from demolition and turned into an event venue.

The Lion House is a popular wedding and event venue due to its outdoor garden area and historic décor. The venue holds up to 400 guests.

The Lion House Pantry is a cafeteria-style restaurant on the building’s first floor. The restaurant is open to the public with a menu that features a limited number of specialty dishes that change daily.

Joseph Smith Memorial building

The Joseph Smith Memorial Building is a multi-purpose, ten-story administrative office building and social center. It is located on the northeast corner of South Temple and Main Street. The building provides dining options and event hosting with restaurants, large meeting rooms, and banquet and wedding reception rooms. The building is also home to a 500-seat theater that hosts various film experiences produced by the church.

The Joseph Smith Memorial Building was originally called the Hotel Utah. It was finished in 1911 and was built to bring a world-class hotel to Salt Lake City. The building was operated as a hotel for more than 75 years, receiving guests from all over the globe — from international leaders, presidents and scholars to leading figures in the world of art, music, sports, and entertainment.

The Hotel Utah finished its hospitality operations in 1987, and the building was then adapted for other purposes. It reopened in 1993 for office and meeting space operated by the church. A local Latter-day Saint congregation holds its services in the building every Sunday.

At Christmastime, local choirs are invited to perform. The 10th floor of the building offers an overlook onto the Salt Lake Temple.

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