Stake center to be built on BYU-Idaho campus

A new stake center that will house eight married student wards will be constructed on the southeast side of BYU-Idaho’s campus by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Administrative Vice President James R. Smyth announced Monday.

The announcement was made at an all-employee meeting Monday afternoon.

“We have a large number of married students who desire to be associated with university wards,” Smyth said, “but we haven’t had the facilities to accommodate them.”

There are currently six married student wards at BYU-I.

“They are currently using space in a number of community meeting houses,” Smyth said. “Those meeting houses are also experiencing their own growth.”

Construction on the 26,000 square foot brick building will begin in late spring or early summer; similar projects typically takes about 16 months to complete, Smyth said.

The location for the project will be on six acres at the northeast corner of 7th South and Center streets. The area is currently used as a no-till agriculture demonstration area.

The building will feature stake offices, eight bishop offices, a high council room, a cultural hall with hardwood floor, multiple classrooms, two kitchens and a library. Parking for approximately 300 vehicles will also be provided.

The design will be similar to two such buildings located by Interstate 15 near Idaho State University in Pocatello, Smyth said. The modified Twin Chapel Legacy design has a chapel with fixed pews on one end and a chapel with moveable chairs on the other end.

Although located on campus, planning and construction will be handled by the Church, as this is not a typical university project.

“The building will be used primarily for church meetings and other ecclesiastical purposes,” Smyth said. “There is no anticipation this will serve academic needs, although it’s anticipated that it will provide space during the week for various university Activities Program needs.”