21-04-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
Mormon church files $7.5M permit for Jacksonville temple
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is taking a significant step forward with its first temple in Jacksonville, as newly filed permits reveal the scope of this multi-phase project.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is preparing to break ground on its first temple in Jacksonville, filing a $7.5 million permit with the city on April 18 for site clearing work at 3325 Loretto Road in the Mandarin area.
The permit marks the first major step toward development of the 6.6-acre property, with site plans showing the project will unfold in two phases: The first phase includes construction of a 29,000-square-foot Temple on a 0.58-acre site and associated infrastructure, while the second phase calls for the construction of a 20-lot subdivision.
Site plans were approved April 16, with the Church listed as the developer, Halff Associates Inc. as the engineering firm, and St. Augustine-based Parkway C&A, LP as the contractor for the site clearing. The Church acquired the land in 2024 for $7.2 million from IGS Diamond S Inc., Southbelt Park Ltd. and Irving G. Snyder Jr. Both of the companies are associated with Snyder, who is president of Southbelt Gp Corp.
The construction activity follows a December press release from the Church announcing the Jacksonville Florida Temple as one of five new temples globally set to begin development. A rendering released with the announcement shows the temple's intended exterior design.
President Russell M. Nelson announced the plans for the Jacksonville temple during a global address in October 2022. 'I promise that increased time in the temple will bless your life in ways nothing else can,' he said before naming 18 new temples, including Jacksonville, the December statement said.
The temple will become Florida's fifth, joining those in Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and Tallahassee. According to Church figures, Florida is home to nearly 173,000 Latter-day Saints across more than 270 congregations, with missionary efforts in the state dating back to 1845.
Temples differ from churches, which are used for weekly worship services. The temple is considered a holy building and reserved for special ceremonies for practicing Mormons.
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