LDS Church buys land for Springfield temple

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has purchased land near the border of Springfield and Ozark for a temple unveiled last year.

The church's governing body, the First Presidency, announced in a news release that the facility would be built at 2720 E. Farm Road 188. The site is south of the Lexington Square subdivision and west of the U.S. 65 and Evans Road interchange.

LDS Church officials said in the release that the single-story, roughly 29,000-square-foot temple would be built on a portion of the 38-acre site. A timeline was not disclosed.

The 38 acres is owned by the LDS Church, according to the Greene County assessor's office. Greene County recorder data shows a June 11 warranty deed that lists Center Court LLC as the grantor of the property to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the grantee.

The LDS Church, which is based in Salt Lake City, Utah, last year selected Springfield among 15 sites for planned locations, according to past reporting.

"Jesus Christ is the reason we build temples," LDS President Russell M. Nelson said in a news release at the time. “For this reason, we are doing all within our power to make the blessings of the temple more accessible to our members around the world.”