The building known as “the old Stake Building” started undergoing extensive renovations last fall to allow it to continue to meet the needs of the Malad Stake for safe, modern meeting space for multiple wards. The 72-year-old building was constructed over four years, beginning with groundbreaking ceremonies on March 17, 1949, and concluding with its dedication by Elder Stephen L. Richards on November 15, 1953. The cost of the building was approximately $275,000. 

According to the Malad Idaho Stake Centennial book, the first meeting was held in the building on December 30, 1951, when the Malad Third Ward set up folding chairs in the recreation hall. Organized in 1935, the Third Ward originally met in the First Ward Building, the first time in the history of the Church that two wards held their meetings in the same building.

Built to house the Malad Third Ward and the Malad Stake, the “old Stake Building” added the Malad Fourth Ward when that ward was organized in 1955 with the division of the 2nd and 3rd Wards.  

Located at the corner of 400 North 200 West, “the old Stake Building” has been extensively remodeled twice.  The first time was in 1972 to create a new stake office and high council room, office space for the two bishops and clerks, and the stake library and name extraction program.  The second remodeling project was in 1985 when all the woodwork was restained and varnished, the indoor windows at the back of the chapel were replaced with a wall, and a new roof was installed.

Since the new Stake Center was completed in 2001 and the ward boundaries realigned twice, the “old Stake Building” has housed three wards (now 3rd, 6th, and 7th). With the need for a third bishop’s office, the cultural hall, which formerly opened into the hallway, was enclosed and the open hallway area that had featured chairs and couches by the windows became offices. Other small remodeling projects have kept the building in use; these projects have included installation of a small elevator, moving and remodeling of restrooms, and closing the upstairs “cry room.”

Although tearing down the building was briefly considered, the decision was made  by Church Facilities personnel in consultation with Malad Stake leaders to renovate the current building. According to David Jensen, Stake President, the timeline for completion of this major remodeling project may be 6-8 months although it may take longer, depending on the challenges the contractors face as they get into the project.

The project began in fall 2024 with installation of a new roof, repairs to the exterior of the building, and resurfacing of the parking lot behind the building. When the wards quit meeting in the building at the end of December 2024, the major renovation projects began. 

The podium area in the chapel has been completely removed with plans to move the podium to the side, put in a new sacrament table area, make the lectern accessible without any stairs, and relocate the piano and the new organ so that they are positioned as in the Stake Center. All carpets are being taken up and will be replaced.  A difficult part of the project is asbestos abatement, which is in process now, and which means no access to the building by anyone but experienced asbestos abatement workers. 

According to President Jensen, the HVAC system will be overhauled, the foundation will be earthquake proofed, the stage in the cultural hall will be removed, storage areas will be reconfigured, better access to the second floor will be installed, and the slight rises in the hallways will be flattened somewhat. All in all, the “old Stake Building” will continue to serve the members of the Malad Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with new, safe, modern amenities once the project is completed.

In the meantime, the ten wards and YSA branch of the Malad Stake have had to make some adjustments.  The Holbrook Ward is the only ward not affected. The YSA branch has returned to meeting in the Seminary Building. The 7th Ward meets in the Stake Center; the 1st, St. John, and Pleasantview Wards continue to meet in that building. The 3rd Ward now meets in the building by the City Park (formerly known as the Stake Tabernacle or the 2nd Ward) as do the 2nd and 5th Wards. As an experiment, the 4th and 6th Wards have combined with the two wards alternating monthly to be in charge of meetings.