I work as an electrical engineering consultant and have helped with many Church projects. While there are several standardized layouts for new buildings, older LDS meetinghouses can vary quite a bit in design. The most common upgrades I see in these older buildings are HVAC improvements or standard preventative maintenance.
I noticed what appears to be some upper windows in the drone footage of the Grand Blanc meetinghouse. I’ve occasionally seen a second level of classrooms in LDS churches, but not very often—so that feature would likely be unique to the Grand Blanc building if they did have an upper floor (I could be mistaken on the second level). On my mission in Manchester, Iowa, I recall a smaller LDS congregation (a branch rather than a ward) that met in a former funeral home, which had originally been a residential mansion. Wards generally require around 300 or more active members, while branches are smaller congregations that may meet in rented spaces—or even in a member’s home in more remote areas.
There were also a couple of recent incidents of carbon monoxide exposure in meetinghouses, which led the Church to implement carbon monoxide detection in all buildings being renovated or worked on. This isn’t typically required by code, so it shows that they sometimes go above and beyond for safety. I’ve also seen seismic upgrades in temples to help reduce potential damage during earthquakes.
A few years ago, it was common for church buildings to be funded by local congregations, who would raise money for construction. Nowadays, that has changed, and funds are allocated from Church headquarters.
Last edited:
