Sudan Shriners Temple demolition nears completion for new parking lot

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NEW BERN, N.C. (WITN) – The process for demolition of a New Bern building is almost complete.

The Sudan Shriners Temple in Downtown New Bern came down Friday to clear space for a 200+ space parking lot.

The 42,000-square-foot temple was built in 1951 and is the birthplace of the Sudan Shriners, a philanthropic organization supporting the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Residents driving in Downtown New Bern for decades have become used to seeing the dome on the Shriners Temple.

Now with the demolition almost complete, piles of rubble remain.

The Sudan Temple was flooded during Hurricane Florence beyond repair and has remained vacant since.