Final Phase of the Olmo Ling Temple Capital Campaign


Message from Tempa Dukte Lama (updated January 27, 2025)

Tempalama6 My Dear Friends,

On December 9, 2022 we bought the building that houses Olmo Ling temple in Pittsburgh, USA, thanks to a successful capital campaign with the generous support of our community. Subsequently we renovated the upper two floors with your help. We are now required to make fire safety improvements for the residential use permit so that we can rent out the upper two floors to community members.

I am profoundly grateful for all your love and generous support throughout the past sixteen years since I founded Olmo Ling Bon Center & Institute. Your continuous support has made it possible for me to serve the worldwide Bon community. I will never forget your kindness, love, and friendship.

My deep wish and aspiration is that Olmo Ling can be a safe place of refuge and harmony for the local and extended world-wide Bon community where everyone has access to well-learned Bon masters and where we can translate Bon texts to provide a resource for all who want to learn and deepen their practice. And my single most important aspiration is that Olmo Ling can support Western students who want to train and become responsible Bon teachers and Lamas so that Bon can truly grow roots in the West.

Our temple has received tremendous blessings, including two teachings and blessings by His Holiness the late 33rd Menri Trizin, the crown jewel of Bon, in 2011 and 2013, and two teachings and blessings with His Holiness the 34th Menri Trizin Rinpoche in 2019 and 2023. I have taught at Olmo Ling every Tuesday evening since 2009 and have offered many weekend retreats. Many great Bon masters and Western teachers have visited.

With my sincere gratitude and prayers for your continued support,
Tempa Dukte Lama

Olmo_ling_temple_building

Changes Needed for the Residential Use Permit

We are almost there! Please join us as we convert our building to full use!

In summer 2023, after the visit of His Holiness 34th Menri Trizin, we started the – unexpectedly tedious – process of obtaining a residential use permit for the two upper floors above the temple.
When we bought the building it had a commercial use permit only. The upper two floors were linked with a communicating stairs and there was an insufficient fire separation between all three floors. We anticipated having to remove the communicating stairs, install a separate HVAC system for the second floor, and install a fire alarm system.

However, after working through the details with two architects, fire safety experts, and City inspectors we learned that we additionally needed to construct either a new external fire stairways or install a sprinkler system with a new water main line connecting to across the road from Olmo Ling. Iris worked with our architects to appeal to the City Board of Appeals twice to request an exemption on the grounds of the smaller size of our building.

We are delighted to share that in December 2024 we were granted an exemption to the costly sprinkler requirement!

Olmo Ling is a small non profit financed entirely through donations, memberships, and teaching fees and relying on much volunteer work. The long wait for the permit has been very challenging. We are most grateful to a generous community member whose substantial gifts enabled us to bridge this time. We also thank our architects Greg and Ee Ling Marin for offering us a discounted rate. 


Budget for Building Updates

Please join us in raising the funds for these final building improvements so that we can complete the residential use permit for the upper two floors!

  • $35,000 for removing the stairs between the upper two floors (for fire safety) and installing a separate heating-cooling system on the second floor. This has the additional benefits of expanding the narrow hallways on both upper floors and replacing a very old furnace.
  • $5,914 in professional services from the architects and engineer
  • $5,000 for the temple ceiling sound proofing and lighting update 
  • $881 for the city permit 
  • $328 for smaller items
  • To be determined: fire alarm system

Total to be raised: $47,123

We sincerely thank you for your support, prayers, and continued generosity!  


 

Join us in Completing these Fire Safety Measures!

We will be able to immediately rent the upper floors to Olmo Ling community members after these changes are completed. Having a steady rental income every month will help us pay the monthly mortgage for the Temple building while continuing to offer free weekly talks, weekend teachings at accessible rates (including scholarships), and working on new Bon translations.

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Donations by Check and Other Donations

Checks, cashiers checks and annuities can be made out to and mailed to Olmo Ling, 1101 Greenfield Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15217 (please include a note or write “capital campaign” into the memo).

To donate stocks, please contact Joanna at joanna@olmoling.org

If you would like more information, including financial records, please contact Joanna at bon@olmoling.org.

Olmo Ling is a United States 501( c )( 3 ) tax-exempt non-profit religious organization

All donations are tax-deductible