By Mark Ellis —
The palatial Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) headquarters, once a symbol of Christian TV along a major freeway in Orange County, California, faces demolition to make way for a 142-unit residential development.
For decades, this ornate campus, with its manicured gardens and dazzling holiday lights, broadcast to millions through “America’s Most Watched Faith Channel”. Yet, as TBN’s mission evolves globally, the property—sold in 2017 and now owned by The Khoshbin Co.—is poised to serve a different purpose: providing homes in a city desperate for housing, according to the Orange County Register.
Founded in 1973 by Paul and Jan Crouch, TBN transformed the Bear Street campus into Trinity Christian City International, a lavish hub with a 65,000-square-foot building adorned with crystal chandeliers, frescoed ceilings, and a domed atrium (TBN Archives, 2010).
From here, the Crouches reached a reported 95% of U.S. households by 2005, broadcasting “Praise the Lord” and ministries like Joel Osteen’s to a global audience. But by 2017, TBN deemed the campus “obsolete,” selling it to Greenlaw Partners for $18.25 million as the network shifted operations to Tustin and beyond, according to the LA Times.
In 2021, Irvine-based The Khoshbin Co. purchased it for $22 million, briefly rebranding it
as The Palazzo by Khoshbin for events, before pivoting to housing (Orange County Business Journal, June 10, 2021).
For some Christians, the demolition stirs memories of TBN’s golden era, when Paul Crouch’s faith built a media empire from a single station in 1973 (TBN History, tbn.org).
The Costa Mesa City Council gave initial approval on August 5, 2025, to rezone the site from commercial to high-density residential, approving a proposal by Meritage Homes to build 122 townhouses and 20 single-family homes.
Seven units will be reserved for low-income households, offering an opportunity for homeownership to families earning 50% or less of the area’s median income, roughly $136,000 annually (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024).
“This project delivers the missing-middle housing Costa Mesa needs,” Vanessa Scheidel, Meritage Homes’ project manager, told the Daily Pilot.
As bulldozers prepare to raze the site, the legacy of TBN endures through its 30 global networks and new ventures, including a senior living project in Orlando, according to TBN.
As a Christian Counselor in Phoenix, I felt compassion for Paul & Jan Crouch. I was a regular guest on TBN Phoenix. I knew Paul was a full blown alcoholic and Jan was into adultery and suffered from severe clinical depression. I tried to get to her thru some back channels but was unsuccessful. Praying they repented before their deaths and are in Glory now.
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