OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – For decades, the egg-shaped dome of the First Christian Church stood at the corner of 36th and Walker in Oklahoma City.
But on Monday morning, it was demolished.
By 9:30 a.m., the famous dome had come down.
“It’s devastating and it’s heartbreaking,” said Scott Sullivan, a resident living nearby. “I think that it’s a classic story of they chose to do it behind curtains.”
City officials told KFOR that the demolition application was filed on Friday.
The site was initially flagged because the building had been in the process of becoming a historical preservation in the past.
But after investigating, the city said it did not have any legal reason to deny the permit.
It was approved Monday morning.
Katie Fiddle with the City of OKC’s Historic Preservation said the building is not currently in a preservation process.
“To see it come down, it’s hard to take,” said James Cooper, City Councilperson servicing Ward 2.
He rode his bike to work, stopping by the church on his way. Standing in front of the wreckage, the history of the building flooded his memory.
“Mark Schwartz made history from this ward in the eighties as the first openly Jewish councilperson,” said Cooper. “And in the immediate aftermath of the bombing, Schawrtz was connecting survivors and family members to each other right here in this first Christian church and that’s our legacy.”
The First Christian Church served as a base for families following the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in 1995.
It was a place to pray, but it was also where many families heard about the tragic loss of a loved one.
Cooper wants the city’s rich history to stick around for each new generation, in order to learn about the times when people supported one another.
“It is beyond heartbreaking to see a symbol of a community coming together, regardless of religion, skin color, sexual orientation. gender identity, nationality, you name it…to see that come down is hard to see,” said Cooper.
For Scott Sullivan, the church is nostalgic.
“I went to school here. I was a green gator,” said Sullivan, referring to his preschool years.
He said the parking lot had recently been a place for him to work. While working from home, it was a remote spot that brought him quiet time away from his family.
Frustration was clear when he talked about what is next for the corner of 36th and Walker.
“They’re going to put another strip center, another Apple store that is devoid of all culture,” said Sullivan. “It’s just such a shame.”
There are no public plans for what is next.
Owners of the church were not available for a comment.
Midwest Wrecking is the company that filed the demolition permit, but they were unable to speak about their deal because of a confidential agreement.