Rod Keller is helping us keep up with David Miscavige’s busy “Ideal Org” program, which today is setting a record for two grand openings in a single weekend.
Scientology held a grand opening for the Salt Lake City Ideal Org yesterday, just a day before opening one in Mountain View, California today.
In a city known for the grand architecture of Temple Square, Scientology has chosen a rather mundane office building at 709 E. South Temple Street. This is a big upgrade from the previous mission to Class V status so this is a new org, not just the renovation of an existing org to the “ideal” standard. Every division and department on the Scientology seven division org board has a space in the building.
A Scientology org board always lists Division 7, the Executive Division first, to the left of Div 1, the Hubbard Communications (HCO) Division. Divisions are all allocated space in the building, but plans are usually repeatedly revised, sometimes in the middle of construction. We see that chaos at Salt Lake City, in which the initial plans submitted to the city for a permit are completely at odds with the final construction plans.
This is the early plan of the first floor. The building has a hallway running north/south that splits the floor into two parts. Scientology orgs have a chapel, or auditorium to host various events, and the early plan shows the chapel on the east side. Yellow means these spaces belong to Division 6, the Public Division that delivers introductory and self improvement classes.
The final construction plans are rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise from the permit and show the chapel has been moved to the west side in the center of the floor. The east side is now home to an “enlightenment room,” where new recruits are shown the film Introduction to Scientology. Also on the east are a film room for screenings of more than one or two people, and a seminar room for Dianetics seminars and events for one of the many front groups.
On the west side are L. Ron Hubbard’s office, a fixture in every org, main reception, offices for Div 6 executives, the Life Orientation Course Room, Key to Life Course Room, and Chaplain’s office.
Plans for the basement level show the rooms for Scientologists on the Purification Rundown, part of Div 4, the Technical Division. There are two saunas, changing rooms and an exercise room that also holds the vitamin dispensary. The basement has rooms for PC folders and Ethics folders, the mailroom and HCO offices (Div 1), Finance office (Div 3), the Executive Director’s offices (Div 7), and the office of the Director of Special Affairs who is the head of OSA. OSA maintains a separate file room for the activities of front groups, investigation into former members and critics of Scientology, and legal activities.
The original permit plan shows the north side of the second floor lined with auditing rooms. These all contain cameras and microphones to record counseling sessions.
The final construction plans show the second floor has been completely reshuffled. The auditing rooms are now in the center of the south side of the building, and courserooms for Objectives, the Academy where auditors are trained line the north. The designation as a Class V org means their Academy can train up to Class V auditors. A second Enlightenment Room on this floor is for Div 2, the Dissemination Division. This room is for higher level Scientologists to view films that will encourage them to buy their next step on the Scientology bridge.
The south side also has offices for the Director of Processing, Director of Validity, Director of Success, and Case Supervisors, all part of Div 4. Offices for the Qualifications Division (Div 5) are nearby. Qual is responsible for making sure processing and training has been done correctly. This is also where sec check auditing is done to find disloyal Scientologists and to correct any member who may believe something negative about Scientology they have read or heard from others.
It’s a lot of space to fill. We think there are perhaps 20 current staff members and two auditors. That means most of these offices are empty, and will remain so unless they can grow to Saint Hill size with 200 staff members.
Full plans are available here.
— Rod Keller
And here are just a few shots from yesterday’s grand opening. We’re looking forward to Scientology’s press release, when we’ll learn which local luminaries Miscavige managed to rope into the event…
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Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 1,192 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on February 18, 2018 at 07:00
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Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…
BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of L.A. attorney and former church member Vance Woodward
UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists
GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice
SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts
Other links: Shelly Miscavige, ten years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
