Oklahoma City Council delays vote on status of iconic church building

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – The Oklahoma City Council is delaying a vote on granting historic status to an iconic egg-shaped church after the congregation complained the designation would hinder property rights.

The 32-acre First Christian Church has been for sale since 2016. A vote approving historic landmark designation would prohibit demolition or changes for 180 days. Church attorney David Box says that would make it hard to sell.

A senior pastor, Rev. John Malget, says the 40-member congregation is not tied to the building, but that if they can’t sell they would want to keep it operational. This might not be possible if strict historical district standards are imposed.

Councilman Ed Shadid says the church is culturally, politically and architecturally significant.

The council agreed Tuesday to delay a historic landmark vote until April 9.