The Tabernacle building was sold. When it came time to sell the Payne Avenue Church of Christ building at the corner of Christiana Street, the members of that congregation balked. They chose instead to leave the merged church. And so, while this building was under construction, half of the congregation walked out. The merger was dead. The remaining members from the Tabernacle, with $70,000 in the bank decided to continue with the new building. Although the cost of the new building was over $151,000, times were good, business was booming, and the thought was that the smaller congregation could easily handle the debt.

After the walls of the sanctuary were constructed, it was decided a pipe organ was needed. The Wurlitzer Company was commissioned to build a pipe organ for the church. The cost of the organ was $5,245. However, there was no room in the design of the sanctuary for the organ. So, the architect had to redesign the front of the church to house the organ.

The dedication of this building was on April 15, 1928. It was a most modern facility. It even had one electrical outlet in every room! Within a few months, the stock market crashed, the nation fell into an economic depression, and this congregation was saddled with an enormous debt it could not meet. Struggling to meet its mortgage payments, other functions of the church suffered. During its early years, this building was heated only on Sunday mornings.

Although the cornerstone of this building says it is the Church of Christ, the congregation changed its name back to Central Church of Christ.

In 1936 the Rand family paid off the remaining mortgage through a gift of $61,000. They also saw to it that the church parsonage was free of debt.

Through the years North Tonawanda had two Disciples of Christ congregations, both on Payne Avenue, five blocks from each other: Payne Avenue Church of Christ (Christiana Street) and Central Church of Christ (Wheatfield Street). Both were started and supported by different members of the powerful and wealthy Rand family.