Lexford Park (formerly First Christian Church)

[BDP]

I hope Stonecipher learned his lesson.

The lesson may be that conflicts of interest do not matter in today's politics, but it does seem that self dealing in politics is more or less what public office is for these days.

(Was the cynical enough? Ha.)

[Pete]

On the agenda for City Council next week is a resolution described thusly:


"First Christian Church (“FCC”) owns an approximately 31.5 acre tract of real property located at
3700 North Walker Avenue, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73118. On March 12, 2019, City Council
continued an item proposing a Resolution initiating an application to designate First Christian
Church and Jewel Box Theater at 3700 N. Walker Avenue as a Historic Landmark Overlay District.
On April 3, 2019, the Historic Preservation Commission voted to adopt a Resolution to initiate a
proposal on behalf of the City for designation of the FCC Property as a Historic Landmark Overlay
District. On April 9, 2019, City Council struck its Resolution to initiate an application to designate
the property as a Historic Landmark Overlay District which had been continued from March 12,
2019. Subsequently, FCC entered into a real estate purchase agreement to sell a portion of its
property to Crossings Community Church.
Councilmen Cooper and Stonecipher requested the Municipal Counselor’s Office negotiate and
prepare a Memorandum of Understanding between the City, First Christian Church of Oklahoma
City, and Crossings Community Church (“MOU”) where FCC and Crossings agree not to demolish
the external structure of the First Christian Church Sanctuary, Jewel Box Theater, or Education
Center, except as may be necessary in the event of casualty damage. The MOU also provides that if
Crossings buys the Purchase Tract, Crossings will not seek a Demolition Permit or Demolish (as
defined in the MOU) such external structures during such time as Crossings owns the Purchase
Tract, and that the City shall have a right of first refusal to acquire the Purchase Tract on the terms
and conditions set forth in the MOU should Crossings buy the Purchase Tract from FCC and seek to
sell the Purchase Tract in the future. In exchange for those contractual obligations, the MOU
provides the City will withdraw the application for designation of the FCC Property as a Historic
Landmark Overlay District and agree not to initiate a new application while Crossings has the
Purchased Tract under contract or owns the Purchased Tract.

This resolution also withdraws the Historic Preservation Commission’s April 3, 2019 application,
case number PC-10586, to initiate a proposal on behalf of the City for the designation of the First
Christian Church as a Historic Landmark Overlay District. City Council has authority to make the
withdrawal on behalf of the City as the legislative body of The City of Oklahoma City and pursuant
to §59-4100.5. "

[David]

Why does it so strongly matter that the Historic Landmark status fail if they are simultaneously super duper promising not the tear the building down?

This feels weird.

[Pete]

Why does it so strongly matter that the Historic Landmark status fail if they are simultaneously super duper promising not the tear the building down?

This feels weird.

Their argument is that it makes it super hard to do any improvements to the property at all.

But that's pretty dubious. All they would have to do is go through the Historic Preservation Commission who would certainly be sympathetic to anything that really needed to be done.

I'm sure this is just some sort of property rights philosophy issue, which at least 4 city councilors feel strongly about.

[David]

I can't see spending the money to threaten a lawsuit for a philosophical concern like that. Seems like a big waste of money for either congregation involved, and that's bad ministry.

[bombermwc]

Earning the HP label does actually make it more difficult to maintain and improve things because of HOW you have to do it. It might be physically saved, but then you run into situations where its too expensive to maintain, so the occupiers are gone and then it sits empty. All you have then is hope for someone to save it.

I'm not saying that's a bad thing because if you want to preserve something historically, it needs to be properly preserved. Think Heritage Hills. If you had someone come in and put in parts from a modern home that don't match, then it sort of spoils the preservation effort.

I'd like to see the label WANTED by the church though and not forced upon them.

[RustytheBailiff]

[QUOTE=But that's pretty dubious. All they would have to do is go through the Historic Preservation Commission who would certainly be sympathetic to anything that really needed to be done.
.[/QUOTE]

Sounds like the voice of someone who has never gone before the Historice Preservations Commission.

[Buffalo Bill]

On the HP Commission Agenda for June:

https://agenda.okc.gov/sirepub/cache...9013549492.PDF

https://agenda.okc.gov/sirepub/cache...9013356285.PDF

[Pete]

^

Yes, once James Cooper got wind of Stonecipher & Co.'s plans to withdraw the HP process, he met with the two churches and then later helped broker a compromise wherein Crossings agreed not to demolish the church and key structures, and that the City of OKC gets the first right of refusal should they ever choose to sell the property.

[TheTravellers]

^

Yes, once James Cooper got wind of Stonecipher & Co.'s plans to withdraw the HP process, he met with the two churches and then later helped broker a compromise wherein Crossings agreed not to demolish the church and key structures, and that the City of OKC gets the first right of refusal should they ever choose to sell the property.

So glad I voted for Cooper and he won, he's going to be a great asset to OKC...

[SEMIweather]

So glad I voted for Cooper and he won, he's going to be a great asset to OKC...

Agree. This is really good, proactive work.

[David]

Yeah, that is excellent work.

[Pete]

Renovation work has started on the 130-foot bell tower.

[Bill Robertson]

I just received an email to Crossings membership. They decided that doing what they felt necessary at First Christian was going to cost more than anticipated and more than they want to commit to. So they are not pursuing taking over the property.

[Pete]

Crossings Church decides not to pursue First Christian purchase

This morning, Crossings Church issued the following press release:




Crossings Community Church Decides Not to Pursue First Christian Church Property at NW 36th & Walker
Crossings leadership determines it best not to proceed following due diligence period, deliberation, and prayer

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – August 8, 2019 – Crossings Community Church has decided not to pursue the property near NW 36th and Walker following months of prayer, research, and inspection. Earlier this year, Crossings entered into a due diligence period to thoroughly explore the possibility of acquiring the First Christian Church location as a potential Crossings satellite campus.

The official statement issued by Crossings Community Church this morning is as follows: “Today, Senior Pastor Marty Grubbs announced to the Crossings congregation the decision not to pursue the First Christian Church property at NW 36th & Walker.

“In April, we came to an agreement to pursue the acquisition of the First Christian Church building and entered a due diligence period. This period was spent evaluating the feasibility of this opportunity to make it suitable for our purposes as a satellite campus. After months of prayer, research, and inspection, we have determined it best not to proceed.

“Unfortunately, the overall cost was much higher than we anticipated. The total cost of this endeavor would exceed $20 million. It became far more than what our leadership and elders were willing to invest; particularly in light of our 60-year commitment not to incur any long-term debt.

“Though this is not the outcome that we had hoped for, we are confident that we have diligently pursued and carefully considered all aspects of this opportunity. We are especially thankful for the great friendship we have developed with First Christian Church during this process, and pray for them as they move forward.”

[BoulderSooner]

this may signal the beginning of the end of this building

[Pete]

Based on a recent agreement, the city has the first right to purchase.

[Patrick]

Based on a recent agreement, the city has the first right to purchase.

It’s a money pit. Just bulldoze it.

[Plutonic Panda]

this may signal the beginning of the end of this building

I hope not. There are so many potential uses of this property keeping the buildings which would preserve unique character of the area.

[Ross MacLochness]

[gopokes88]

Based on a recent agreement, the city has the first right to purchase.

I didn’t know that, kinda like that.

You could make a tweak to the laws that would protect property owners rights but also preserve some of our buildings.

If you put a building under contract, the city can outbid for 10% more.
Demo and renovation permits are either approved, or the city has to buy the building for purchase price (if recent) +10% or FMV +10%, whatever is greater. Like if a building got sold, demo permit comes 2 months later, the city can buy it for 110% of what the new owner paid.

[Plutonic Panda]

LOL. We'll settle the induced demand argument after we save this building! hah

[Martin]

alright... you win okctalk today.

[Patrick]

I just don’t think $20 million is a wise investment in this property. That’s a lot of money for what return? At least the Skirvin made financial sense because it’s a profit making hotel again and it was in a revived downtown

[Pete]

I just don’t think $20 million is a wise investment in this property. That’s a lot of money for what return? At least the Skirvin made financial sense because it’s a profit making hotel again and it was in a revived downtown

You don't know the return until you know the use.

If the city got involved you can bet it would no longer be a single-tenant church.

The city just bought the Luster Mansion. We are pouring tens of millions into First National Center.


You save it first then work hard to find a redeveloper. You just can't assume there isn't a way to make this work.