The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints plans to build a new temple on Loretto Road in Jacksonville’s Mandarin community. The $27 million project includes a single-story, 29,000-square-foot building primarily for administrative use with limited special services. Parkway C&A LLC will manage construction on the 6.6-acre site at 3325 Loretto Road, according to Jacksonville Today.
City officials have issued a building permit for the project. The land was initially planned for a residential development of 60 homes, but the plans were changed to a religious building. Councilman Michael Boylan told News4JAX that the temple is expected to generate less traffic than the originally planned homes.
First Coast News report that some residents have expressed concerns about traffic and changes to the neighborhood landscape. One resident plans to plant privacy trees along her property to maintain seclusion.
