The Irem Temple Restoration Project has taken on the mission of preserving Wilkes-Barre’s 117-year-old Irem Temple. The group aims to restore the historical and architectural marvel of the Wyoming Valley while also transforming it into a mixed-use community event venue for entertainment and social/educational gatherings.
Follow this blog to learn more about the project and how you can become a part of the story.
Irem Temple Restoration Project Continues Work on the Temple Exterior
Bids are out! The new roof on the building is complete and now bids are out to begin work on the outside of the building. The Irem Temple Restoration Project is very excited as this new phase of construction begins. The four minarets, brick work, windows and doors will be renewed or replaced in the upcoming months. This long-awaited next step will bring us closer to starting on the interior of the Irem Temple later this year.
The next phase
The minarets will have a new or refurbished Spanish tile look of copper paneling on each roof, scrolled woodwork to match the original, and the corbelled brick arches under each minaret roof will be cleaned, inspected, and replaced if necessary. Each of the minaret towers will undergo top to bottom rehabilitation. The same care and inspection will also be done for smaller terracotta Spanish tile roof shingles. Brick will be replaced as necessary with matching colors and the masonry will also be repointed or replaced as needed.
New flashing, gutter cleaning, and the removal of plant growth will be done as well. All of the work including doors and windows will remake the building into the stunning jewel as originally intended. We hope the outside of the building will be in top shape by Fall. Then, renovation will begin in earnest on the interior starting with the main hall and adjacent rooms. The stage, curtain, and sound system will all be renovated and updated. While getting started is often the most difficult stage, we are now well underway with lots of positive conversations with stakeholders taking place.
Our funding channel opportunities continue to develop as each new phase is started and completed
One way that is new to us concerns donations that are eligible for tax forgiveness up to 90% by the state of Pennsylvania. Watch for much more information about that in the upcoming weeks and months! We are also planning to participate in NEPAGives in the upcoming months. It is a day of giving that runs for 24 hours on June 5-6. According to their website (nepagives.org), “The purpose is to empower people to give back to their community by supporting local nonprofits on one easy platform.”
If you agree that the Irem Temple will be a great venue, a wonderful draw to the area, and uplifting to the people and businesses of our community, consider giving on June 5-6. Keep current by following us on Facebook. There you can find videos and photos that help to tell our story.
