Ottawa Center for Arts closes on sale for Open Table church building

Representatives of Open Table United Church of Christ and the Ottawa Center for the Arts met Wednesday to close on the sale of the church’s building to the OCA.

The building, erected as First Congregational Church in 1870 and 1871, is located at 910 Columbus St., across from Washington Square. It houses offices, a kitchen, restrooms and meeting spaces on the ground floor, and a sanctuary seating almost 400 on the second floor, with a Schantz pipe organ, historic stained glass and outstanding acoustics. The agreement includes a rental arrangement for the church to continue its work and ministries while the OCA builds its program.

Steve Malinsky, moderator-elect of Open Table UCC, has led the church’s effort the past four years to determine the future of its building and identify a suitable buyer, recognizing that care of the building was becoming unsustainable for the church. Malinsky spoke to the gathering of the passing of the building to new owners, wishing them all the best and noting commonalities of purpose between the Ottawa Center for the Arts and its church tenant.

Anne Badger, executive director of the Ottawa Center for the Arts, expressed her organization’s delight and commitment to steward the building into a new phase of its existence, bringing arts programming to the Ottawa area.

The Rev. Jennifer Amy-Dressler, pastor of Open Table UCC, said the church is pleased that the building will continue to be a place for the whole community, offering the power of arts to enrich lives.

Members of both organizations were present to witness the signing of the agreement and to share in cake, ice cream and champagne.