Construction of a new Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is scheduled to begin within the next couple of weeks due to the growth of Mormon families in the Alexandria area.
Lewis F. Larson, a church member active in getting approval for new edifice's location, said, "The new building will help alleviate the growing pains we are having at our existing buildings in Alexandria and in Fairfax County."
The planned 25,000 square foot structure, scheduled for completion by August 2003, will be located at the intersection of Franconia Road and South Van Dorn Street. It will compliment, but not replace, the Mormon churches located at 2810 King St. and 2000 George Washington Memorial Parkway.
"The King Street church was originally constructed in 1956 under the direction of J. Willard Marriott, who was serving as a lay church leader at the time," Larson explained. "It was the original home for the Alexandria congregation, which in our church is known as a ward.
"Now four Alexandria based wards share that building. And although it was renovated just four years ago, parking and classroom space has been increasingly crowded on Sundays. At least one ward using the King Street church is expected to move to the new building," Larson said.
THE LARGEST CONGREGATION meeting at the King Street location is the Colonial Ward, composed of approximately 800 professional single adults under the age of 30, according to Larson. They share the building with two large traditional family wards and a Spanish speaking ward.
Of traditional colonial design, the new church will occupy nearly seven acres of land. It will house a chapel, a variety of classrooms, and a full size hardwood floor gymnasium. The land was assembled by purchasing seven 1930 to 1950 vintage homes. They have been demolished.
Larson played an active role in working with the Fairfax County Planning Commission to gain approval for the site as well as for the parking and landscape designs. The site is immediately opposite Edison High School.
Planned as a place for Sunday worship services, not a temple, such as the one located in Maryland, it will also be used extensively throughout the week for a variety of social and youth activities, Larson noted.
Founded in 1836 in Fayette, NY, by Joseph Smith, the Mormon Church pushed west to avoid persecution. After Smith was killed in Nauvoo, Illinois, Brigham Young took over the leadership and eventually settled his followers in the Salt Lake Valley of Utah. Today, Salt Lake City is the home of the Mormon Church.