Officials marked the groundbreaking of the MAPS 4 Diversion Hub project recently, marking the initial stages of construction for a new facility on Linwood Boulevard. The 2.59-acre plot will house a $19 million, 35,575-square-foot building designed by Rees Associates and constructed by Wynn Construction – which is expected to be completed in 2026.
Diversion Hub is a multi-agency network established in 2020 that has supported over 10,000 individuals affected by the criminal legal system.
Mayor David Holt expressed how Diversion Hub reflects the quality-of-life projects present in MAPS 4. “About 70% of MAPS 4 dollars are going to human needs and neighborhood needs all across the city, and it’s really meeting a different definition of quality of life that more directly reaches a much broader swath of the community,” Holt said.
MAPS 4 Advisory Board Chair Teresa Rose, emcee of the event, stated that Diversion Hub’s work is “lifechanging and lifesaving,” and a larger facility would be necessary for the organization to continue to provide these elements.
The new facility will include additional space for the organization’s offices, as well as meeting areas for staff and community partners to connect clients to personalized resources and programming – whether it be assistance with navigation, exiting the system or preventing future incarceration.
With additional space, the organization can expand its programming opportunities. Previously offering exclusive classes and groups, the space will now offer programs that cover case management, justice navigation, recovery support, employment assistance, housing navigation, family services, behavioral health and substance use services, civil legal assistance and education support.
Within the new facility, a glass sculpture titled "Our Words are Wings” by Detroit-based artist April Wegner and two large paintings by Tulsa artist Ebony Iman Dallas and Los Angeles artist Floyd Strickland will evoke hope and restoration. All three pieces of art are funded through Oklahoma City’s 1% for Arts program.
Sue Ann Arnall, president of Arnall Family Foundation and chairperson on the Diversion Hub Board of Directors, spoke at the groundbreaking alongside Meagan Taylor, Diversion Hub executive director. Arnall emphasized that Diversion Hub will become a national model for support and rehabilitation.
“Already, other groups are coming to Oklahoma City to learn how to replicate Diversion Hub,” Arnall said. “Everybody is welcome, no one is judged, everyone has something to offer to their community, and we acknowledge that. No one should have to walk this path alone. That is the dream of Diversion Hub, and what we are here to celebrate.”
Following Arnall, Taylor highlighted the importance of a helping hand, stating, “It means that everyday our lobby is full of individuals needing support in navigating the criminal legal system. It means that when our clientele doubled in a single year, we worked harder to make sure that every client got the quality, personal assistance that they deserve.”
“Our programs work,” Taylor said. “They dramatically reduce recidivism, and we are proving that it is more humane, safer and cheaper to help save their lives rather than incarcerate them.”