Church drops its asking price
First Christian Church drastically reduces cost of church, other buildings to $5.6M
The old “Church of Tomorrow” still awaits its future — the property, anyway.
After just more than a year on the market, First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Oklahoma City has drastically reduced its asking price for the iconic egg-shaped church house, other buildings and 31.8 acres at NW 36 and Walker Avenue.
When first listed for sale in late 2016, the congregation was asking $8.2 million. Now, the asking price is $5.65 million, a drop of 31 percent. Broker Cordell Brown of Price Edwards & Co. sent out notice of the reduction on Wednesday.
Brown said the church board is anxious to sell the property and is ready to see someone redevelop it, but hopes that the church building itself can be retained, whether for an alternative use or by another church.
The site includes the church building at 3700 N Walker, the Jewel Box Theater, Trinity School and the office building of the Oklahoma Disciples. The northeast corner of NW 36 and Walker is zoned C-3 Commercial and the rest is zoned R-1 Residential.
The parcel “is ideal for a mixed-use development,” Brown says on a flyer. “It lends itself well to retail or office fronting on NW 36th Street with office or multifamily on the north area of the site.”
The price reduction sparked hope among preservationists and fans of mid-century modern architecture that some of the historic structures can be saved. The entire property went on the National Register of Historic Places as First
Christian Church Historic District in 2011.
“I think we have to expect some kind of development on the land, but how much development? Hopefully not the dense mess that was planned for the site back in 2008,” said Lynne Rostochil, whose architect grandfather R. Duane Conner designed the church.
She was referring to a short-lived and controversial plan by developer Grant Humphreys for an 18-acre mixed-use project nearby at NW 36 and Interstate 235. Rostochil said she and others regarded that plan as too dense for the area, which is single-family residential except for the First Christian Church property.
“I’m sure that the Disciples building and youth center will be demolished to make way for development, but I think we can all live with that if the church, education building, and Jewel Box are saved and preserved in their original state,” she said Wednesday on the Okie Mod Squad’s Facebook page.
Meanwhile, a much reduced congregation continues with worship and outreach on property First Christian has owned since the 1940s, when it bought a golf course at auction and started relocating from NW 10 and Robinson Avenue.
The Rev. Bill Alexander, longtime pastor, led the church, with its futuristic white dome, to make its mark in worship and architecture in the post-World War II heyday of the mainline church.
“In August 1947, a 3,500-seat amphitheater was dedicated. Sunday evening worship services known as ‘Edgemere Under the Stars’ were held for the community,” according to a church history online. “Friday evenings were devoted to ‘Twilight Time’ featuring musical entertainment in the light operatic tradition with guest artists and local talent.
“Finally, in December 1956, the ‘Church of Tomorrow’ welcomed an overflow crowd to Sunday morning worship. Thus began the years of fellowship and service ‘Under the Dome!’”