SALT LAKE CITY-Friday, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints updated its latest renovation information on the Salt Lake Temple, located at Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City near Church headquarters.

A tunnel is presently being constructed underneath North Temple to connect the Conference Center parking lot to the underground facilities and entrance to the temple.

The tunnel excavation is about 80 percent complete.

Presently, the temple is encompassed on three sides by a secant wall.

These walls are installed as closely to the bottom edge of the existing footings as possible.

The secant wall is built by drilling deep holes where alternating steel and concrete columns are installed.

The secant walls overlap with each other to create the retaining wall.

The temple’s copper roof sheathing has been completely removed and replaced with a temporary roof.

This is to prepare for the installation of steel trusses. These are considered an important component of the temple’s seismic strengthening to combat earthquakes.

The temple wall’s upper stones are gradually being removed to be reinstalled in their future positions as renovation ensues.

As stones are removed from the temple, a variety of safety measures are being used. Harnesses are tied to existing hooks anchored in stones to protect workers.

Workers ensure that as stones are removed, they are properly cataloged and labeled so as to be returned to their original placement.

At the Church Office Building plaza, numerous conveyor belts assist in carrying materials and debris for hauling off-site.

The two fountains are currently being removed, along with walkways and planter boxes.