Built as a church 103 years ago, this handsome Lakewood building will go back to it roots under a new owner (LoopNet). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.
King’s Church buys former Roundstone Insurance HQ
ARTICLE UPDATED APRIL 16, 2025
Only a decade old, the Lakewood-based King’s Church has acquired its first permanent home by purchasing the former headquarters of the Roundstone Insurance Co. after it relocated to Rocky River last fall. But that former HQ is going back to its originally intended purpose.
Built in 1922 as the First Church of Christ, Scientist, the Greek Revival-designed building at 15422 Detroit Ave. will again host services in the coming months by the self-described multi-cultural, multi-generational, non-denominational church.
Last month, King’s Church acquired the 23,000-square-foot stone building and its 1-acre lot for $2.9 million, according to Cuyahoga County property records. The prior owner Green Wave Services II, Ltd. is an affiliate of Roundstone.
Roundstone received from the church pretty much what it had originally asked for the property. It had been listed for sale at $3.1 million. For tax purposes, the county had appraised the building and land at $1,298,400, according to public records.
Last year, the property owner received a tax bill of $46,914.55 with $22,340.26 of that unpaid, records show. While that tax bill is still owed, it may be the last for a while. In Ohio, churches are generally exempt from paying taxes on properties used for religious purposes.
Fast-ground Roundstone Insurance outgrew its headquarters in the former church, including its retail appendage at right that fronts Detroit Avenue (Google).
The city will receive income tax revenues from seven King’s Church employees, according to a conditional use permit for the new site that was filed with the city in February. But that’s far less than what the city had enjoyed when 240 Roundstone employees worked there.
Roundstone represented $17.5 million in payroll, or an average of nearly $73,000 per employee, according to Mayor Meghan George’s staff. That’s about $200,000 per year in income taxes the city lost when Roundstone departed for its new office building at 19621 Lake Rd. in Rocky River.
Roundstone’s HQ left Lakewood when it opted out of the city’s planned redevelopment of the former Lakewood Hospital site. Columbus-based CASTO plans to redevelop the 6-acre property with a $119 million mixed-use vision for apartments, townhomes, retail and structured parking. It hopes to get construction under way by the end of this year.
What the King’s Church lacks in employment, it makes up for in visits. Their services draw hundreds of people each week to the 1,800-seat Lakewood Civic Auditorium at the Lakewood High School, 14100 Franklin Blvd. The church was founded by pastors Noah and Stephanie Nickel.
Noah Nickel posted the purchase announcement yesterday on Instagram, noting that it will be the first permanent location for the King’s Church in its brief history. He said that this location will be only about 100 yards from where the church’s members started gathering in its first couple of years — at the Lakewood Masonic Temple, 15300 Detroit Ave.
The 70-year-old Lakewood Civic Auditorium, located at the Lakewood High School on Franklin Boulevard, has hosted the King’s Church services for the last eight years (WikiMedia Commons).
But their new Lakewood home needs to be retrofitted to function as a church again, he said. Those efforts will be developed in the coming months and likely require the assistance of many volunteers.
A real estate listing for the property touted its 60 parking spaces. But a count of spaces on the site suggests there is only 30 spaces. There are, however, many more parking spaces for the shopping next door and Kauffman Park behind.
Their new home has changed hands over the years. It had three commercial property owners since it was sold in 2004 by the First Church of Christ, Scientist. Nickel said Roundstone “took great care in the property” and left it in good condition. He said other permanent locations for its church are planned in the region.
King’s Church is bucking the trend in church enrollment and real estate needs. Many other churches, including the former First Church of Christ, Scientist, have been selling off their properties in recent decades due to a decline in membership. Church In The Circle was the latest to hit the market, as noted in a story broken by NEOtrans last week.
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