Oklahoma City’s latest MAPS 4 project is now up and running, and it is not another arena or park. On Wednesday, city leaders cut the ribbon on a purpose-built, 35,575-square-foot Diversion Hub designed to coordinate services for people tangled up in the criminal legal system. During the opening, officials and partner agencies toured reception areas, co-located partner offices, and rooms set aside for casework and training as they laid out the goal: steer low-level defendants toward housing, treatment, and jobs instead of straight to jail.
According to Diversion Hub, the nonprofit actually started serving clients at its new home at 1200 Linwood Blvd on May 4, ahead of the formal ceremony. The roughly 35,000-square-foot building replaces a pilot site that launched in 2020 and quickly hit capacity. Staff say the new space allows for longer intake hours, tighter on-site coordination with partners, and more room for workforce and training programs.
As noted by the City of Oklahoma City, MAPS 4 picked up about $18.9 million of the construction cost for the 35,575-square-foot facility, which sits on roughly 2.59 acres along Linwood between N. Western and N. Klein avenues. “This building expansion will let us provide more clients with assistance reaching positive outcomes and finding a better way forward,” Diversion Hub executive director Meagan Taylor said in the city’s announcement. One percent of the project budget is reserved for public art, with a glass sculpture and large paintings planned for the lobby and other public spaces.
How the Hub Will Work
The hub is built as a one-stop shop, co-locating justice navigators, recovery supports, case managers, and partner agencies so people can be screened and connected to services without unnecessary jail time, according to the Diversion Hub. Programming listed there includes case management, peer recovery, workforce assistance, housing navigation, family services, behavioral-health and substance-use screening, and education support. The organization says it serves people with municipal and district court involvement in Oklahoma County and also accepts referrals from neighboring counties, with no cost to clients.
What Leaders Say It Will Change
City officials argue the permanent facility will ease pressure on the Oklahoma County jail while expanding a model first launched in 2020. “Diversion Hub is a life-changing program for many Oklahoma City residents, putting them on a different path than they may have otherwise taken,” Mayor David Holt said in the city’s announcement. The city also notes that operational costs for programming will be covered by an endowment established with the Oklahoma City Community Foundation rather than by MAPS construction dollars.
Next Steps and Community Notes
The new building’s public-art plan includes a glass installation by April Wegner and paintings by Ebony Iman Dallas and Floyd Strickland, projects highlighted in local coverage of the program. Local media also captured the grand opening: The Oklahoman published a video tour and credited Meagan Taylor with explaining the hub’s goals. Officials say the site is already taking referrals and will keep building partnerships with courts, service providers, and funders across the county.
