Church of Scientology buys Site in Philadelphia’s Center City

Church of Scientology buys Site in Philadelphia’s Center City

ED HILLE / Inquirer Staff Photographer

Scientology’s new home in Center City will include

the tallest building in the 1300 block of Chestnut Street.

The Church of Scientology of Philadelphia has just purchased a mammoth 15-story building in the heart of downtown Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia Inquirer just reported the news.

The Scientologists – outgrowing their modest home on Race Street – plan to combine and renovate the properties at 1312-16 Chestnut St. into a center that will include a chapel, offices, an academy, and displays on the church’s community programs, said Bruce Thompson, public-affairs director of the Church of Scientology of Pennsylvania.

The article stated: “The move represents a bold step in Scientology’s bid for visibility – literally. It will be the church’s tallest building in the world, Thompson said.

“Scientology’s local staff of about 35 people will triple, Thompson said.

“Scientology, which counts actors Tom Cruise, John Travolta and Isaac Hayes among its 10 million members, has been investing heavily in real estate and owns high-profile centers in London, Berlin, Madrid and New York.”

There are also others too, such as Johannesburg, South Africa, San Francisco, Stevens Creek, Buffalo and others, plus many more on the horizon. 

The article also stated: “Locally, members also delivered 180 antidrug lectures in the last year, Thompson said. Thompson said there are “hundreds” of Scientologists across the region and more than 10,000 people on the local mailing list.”

You may also want to read some of my other similar blog entries, at http://spiritualbeing.wordpress.com/tag/ideal-orgs/

Specifically, these are:

Church of Scientology in Twin Cities Purchases Old Science Museum

New Zealand Scientologists Obtain Grand New Building

Church of Scientology Pasadena Finds New Premises to Expand Into

The Church of Scientology Kansas Obtains a Large New Building

Church of Scientology in Twin Cities Purchases Old Science Museum

Church of Scientology in Twin Cities Purchases Old Science Museum

The Church of Scientology in Twin Cities has bought the downtown St. Paul building that formerly housed the Science Museum of Minnesota and the Minnesota Business Academy.

The Science Museum occupied the 80,000-square-foot space at 30 E. 10th St. until 1999, when it moved into its new riverfront facility. The Minnesota Business Academy then occupied the space until last spring, when it closed its doors for good.

http://washington.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2007/06/11/daily35.html
http://www.twincities.com/ci_6139307?source=rss

The Church of Scientology of Minnesota, which currently has a small branch at 1011 Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis, has been looking for a larger space for some time, Rev. Brian Fesler said. 

Soon the Church of Scientology of Minnesota will have its own grand Ideal org.

You can visit their website at: http://www.scientology-minneapolis.org/

The Scientology news site (http://www.scientologytoday.org) recently ran a story called Church of Scientology of Twin Cities Minnesota Holds a “Drug-Free Blood Drive”.  This article tells of their blood drive activities and also explains the efforts Scientologists there have been taking in the Twin Cities community to teach people about the harmful effects of drugs. 

“We do blood drives because it’s a service the community really needs,” said Brian Fesler, Public Affairs Director for the Church of Scientology of Twin Cities.

Encouraged by news released by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) that overall illicit drug use among teens has declined by 23 percent since 2001, the Church has stepped up its anti-drug volunteer activities. “If it can go down by 23% why not get it all the way down to 0?” said one of the volunteers.

New Zealand Scientologists Obtain Grand New Building

New Zealand Scientologists Obtain Grand New Building

The New Zealand Herald just reported that the Church of Scientology in New Zealand just purchased a new grand building. 

The article states: “The Church of Scientology is stepping up its image and presence here, spending $10 million to buy a prominent Auckland building.

“The church, which is popular with Hollywood stars such as Tom Cruise and John Travolta, will move around 100 staff into the building perched above the Southern Motorway at Grafton and run courses from there.

“It will soon leave Panmure’s industrial strip for the building now occupied by the Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design, which has two other campus sites.”

Later in the article it states: “Church spokesman Mike Ferriss said yesterday his organisation operated from a building at 532-534 Ellerslie-Panmure Highway and the church had about 5000 members nationally.

“We have been searching for a suitable property for a number of years with an emphasis on heritage properties. Our interest in 136 Grafton Rd started when one of our founding members suggested that it would be the ideal building for us. That was almost a year ago.”

“Ferriss said the church would fully renovate and restore the building over two years and expected to move in once the work was completed.

“‘The New Zealand Scientology Church was formally established in January 1955, making it the first outside of the United States and the second oldest in the world. People from all over the country come to the church in Auckland for services. The new facility should be able to cater for 200 or so students and about 100 staff.’

“Ferriss said the building was a comfortable fit with his organisation’s international property portfolio.”

You can read the full article here: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=28&objectid=10443817

This definitely is a spectacular looking building that will be perfect for the New Zealand ideal Church of Scientology.  Grand and spectacular new Churches of Scientology have been appearing all over the world, including in Madrid, London, Berlin, San Francisco, New York, etc. 

Church of Scientology Pasadena Finds New Premises to Expand Into

Church of Scientology Pasadena Finds New Premises to Expand Into

The Church of Scientology Pasadena has found a new premises that they intend to expand into as part of the Church’s world wide campaign to create new ideal Scientology churches. The number of people they will be able to service in their community will tremendously increase.

The new location is the Braley Building in Old Pasadena in California. Located at 35 S. Raymond Ave.

The 51,000 square foot building is more than 100 years old. It was originally constructed in 1906 as a bicycle factory and its “wheel-and-spokes” motif remains to this day throughout the architectural details, both inside and out.

This new breed of church is known as an “Ideal Scientology organization,” or an “Ideal Org.” Not only are these new churches located in very prominent areas and often in famous landmarks, but they also have a greatly expanded capability to provide Scientology spiritual training and counseling to their members and to help the community with effective community outreach and social betterment activities. New churches like this have opened in Berlin, Germany; London, England; Johannesburg, South Africa; Madrid, Spain; and in San Jose, Los Gatos, San Francisco, Tampa, Buffalo and New York City in the U.S.; and many more will be opening in the near future.

Here is another rendering of what the front of the building will look like when completed:

New Ideal Org – Church of Scientology of Pasadena

You can read more about it here: http://www.scientologytoday.org/press/705292158502_scn-org.html

Church of Scientology London – Ideal Org

Church of Scientology London – Ideal Org

October 22, 2006 — The unveiling of the new Church of Scientology London of Queen Victoria Street (within the square mile in the City of London) on October 22, 2006 was a beautiful moment.  This grand opening was truly an honor to have been there.

The guests at the podium were London’s City Alderman Ian Luder (Ward of Castle Baynard), City of London’s Police Chief Superintendent Commander Kevin Hurley (Divisional Commander of Snowhill, City of London), UN Peave Envoy Dr. Iftikhar Ayaz OBE (also Consul General of Tuvalu) and Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center and leader of the Scientology religion, Mr. David Miscavige. 

Alderman Ian Luder

Commander Kevin Hurley

Dr. Iftikhar Ayaz OBE

All of their speeches were very heartfelt and impinging.

The actual opening began with the London Scottish Regiment playing which was a complete blow away.  They are the same band that plays in the Lord Mayor’s parade annually. 

There were thousands there.  One media article reported that there was about 5,000 people there.  The Church is literally three blocks away from St. Paul’s Cathedral.  The Church’s new home is an 1866 Italian-styled Victorian landmark designed by architect Edward l’Anson for the British and Foreign Bible Society.

You can find out more by visiting these sites:

http://www.scientology-london.org/articles/610230006121.vm

http://www.scientology-london.org/feature/gallery/index.html

http://www.scientology-london.org

http://www.scientologytoday.org/press/610222259261_scn-int.html

Tags: L. Ron Hubbard – Life – Scientology – London – religion – Ideal Orgs

Technorati Tags: L. Ron Hubbard – Life – Scientology – Religion – London – Ideal Orgs

The Church of Scientology Kansas Obtains a Large New Building

The Church of Scientology Kansas recently obtained a large new building. This will of course allow them to increase the number of services and outreach activities within the community.

“The acquisition of the City National Bank Building fulfills our dream to find a fitting home for our rapidly growing Scientology congregation in Kansas City,” said Maggie Kittinger, the Church’s executive director.

http://www.scientologytoday.org/press/latest_scn-int.html

http://www.scientology-kansascity.org/

The Kansas City Star – “Scientology center heads downtown”

http://www.kansascity.com/194/story/39423.html

http://www.religionnewsblog.com/17738/kansas-city-scientology

http://www.shapethegame.com/2007/04/11/new-building-for-scientology-in-kansas-city/

scientology