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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; The group spearheading plans to renovate an iconic local structure is seeking an executive director to oversee its efforts.</p><p>The Irem Temple Restoration Project has posted <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1092135604/" target="_blank">an ad on the networking site LinkedIn for the position</a>.</p><p>The ad stresses the urgency with which group members are working to raise funds for the effort.</p><p>&#8220;The Irem Temple Building, built in 1907, is one of the nation&#8217;s most significant examples of Moorish Revival Architecture and the most visually spectacular Shriners temple in the world,&#8221; it states.</p><p>&#8220;Currently, the building can be saved and ultimately restored but without immediate action, the building will fall into disrepair in as little as 2-3 years,&#8221; it continues. &#8220;Beyond the success of the organization, the ITRP is also committed to the ongoing revitalization of the city of Wilkes-Barre and the surrounding Wyoming Valley.&#8221;</p><p>Among the executive director&#8217;s responsibilities will be organizing and launching a comprehensive strategy for a successful capital campaign, meeting annual fundraising goals, securing new funding opportunities to support long-term sustainability, overseeing all marketing and communications efforts, and ensuring all work meets applicable historical restoration standards.</p><p>The position is part-time, with &#8220;compensation to be determined by experience and qualification,&#8221; the ad states.</p><p>Candidates should have demonstrated fundraising success, and a master&#8217;s degree is preferred.</p><p>Construction on the building began in 1907, and it was dedicated in December 1908. The North Franklin Street structure was built to host the rituals, social events and entertainment of the Wilkes-Barre Shriners, a Masonic organization.</p><p>The popular and powerful fraternal organizations once boasted such magnificent &#8220;temples&#8221; in cities across America. Many declined as other venues &#8212; and forms of entertainment &#8212; chipped away at the market for live acts in small- and medium-sized cities.</p><p>The Wilkes-Barre temple fell into dormancy and disrepair, and has been vacant at least since the early 2000s. Irem Temple Restoration Project Chairman Christian Wielage and other members of the group want to change that.</p><p>As previously reported, they expect the full effort will cost somewhere from $10 million to $15 million to reach full occupancy, ideally by the end of 2022.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_TTL04XX18Irem1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">The Irem Temple is seen on North Franklin street in Wilkes-Barre. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_TTL04XX18Irem1.jpg</photo0><caption0>The Irem Temple is seen on North Franklin street in Wilkes-Barre. </caption0><photoCredit0>Times Leader file photo </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Roger DuPuis</p><p>rdupuis@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Irem Temple group seeks executive director for project