It was one of several dozen temples planned for construction by church president Gordon B. Hinckley during the late 1990s.

The construction of the temple occurred over the following year, highlighted by an Angel Moroni statue being added to the steeple in July 1999.

The temple features a classic modern single spire design constructed with Imperial Danby White marble quarried in Vermont.

As of 2022, Southwest Michigan around Benton Harbor, Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, and Niles are currently assigned to the Chicago Illinois Temple.

In the fall of 2012, construction was done to enclose the entrance way to give more assembly space for groups gathering to enter the temple.