What MAPS projects will start in 2024? Everything to know about ongoing OKC projects

For three decades, Oklahoma City’s Metropolitan Area Projects program, better known as MAPS, has played a key role in ongoing development of the city.

The debt-free MAPS program is funded by a one-cent sales tax, approved by voters and currently expected to raise more than $1 billion between 2020 and 2028. The funds are used for capital projects, neighborhood improvements and job-creating initiatives.

Various projects for MAPS 4, the program’s current iteration, are underway, with all of them in different stages of development. Passed by voters in 2019, MAPS 4 encompasses 16 projects that address issues like homelessness, post-incarceration programming, youth and senior well-being, along with traditional MAPS projects like the fairgrounds coliseum and updates to the NBA Thunder's arena.

“I’ve got plenty to do right now with MAPS 4 and still wrapping up MAPS 3, but we welcome the challenge,” said David Todd, the MAPS program manager.

The list of projects is lengthy, but city planners and local leaders say several efforts have either already begun or are set to officially begin within the next year.

“We’re on track,” Todd said. “We’ve got a lot of projects moving.”

Here’s what we know about MAPS 4 projects for late 2023 through late 2024.

More: Some OKC MAPS 4 programs will receive annual operating funds. Here's how that will work.

OKC Fairgrounds Coliseum

What is it: It’s meant to replace the Jim Norick Arena, also known as “The Big House,” located at 333 Gordon Cooper Blvd. since 1964. The new coliseum is expected to seat up to 7,500 people for events such as concerts, bull riding and basketball games.

Cost: $82 million from MAPS 4, at least $25 million from the city's hotel and motel tax, $9 million from MAPS 3, $5 million from the city's American Rescue Plan Act funds and money from other sources procured by the fairgrounds

When: Broke ground in February; completion set for 2025.

What we know: Construction for OKC's new fairgrounds coliseum underway

Pedestrian Bridge over the Oklahoma River

What it is: The pedestrian bridge will connect trails on the north shore of the Oklahoma River to the upcoming OKANA resort on the south shore, at Eastern and Reno avenues.

Cost: A recent report presented to Oklahoma City Council estimated the bridge to cost nearly $7.4 million.

When: Following budget adjustments, construction is set to begin in 2024 and is expected to be completed by the very end of 2024 before the resort opens in January 2025.

More: Newest OKC construction will connect the latest car-free transportation: 100 miles of trails

Diversion Hub

What it is: A new, permanent location for the Oklahoma County Diversion Hub, a program meant to provide options for low-level offenders. The new building could span 30,435 square feet, which is more than triple the size of the program's current location at 220 NW 10.

Cost: $13 million from MAPS 4 and a land contribution worth $2 million from the Arnall Family Foundation.

When: Construction is expected to begin in early 2024, and likely would not finish until late 2025.

Related: MAPS 4 Diversion Hub construction set to start in early 2024

OKC's Family Justice Center

What it is: Palomar, a nonprofit dedicated to helping survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse, will operate the upcoming Family Justice Center site, which is being built across the street from its current location at 1140 N Hudson Ave. in Midtown. Palomar leaders say the center will be one of the most impressive family justice centers in North America, and several other community organizations will join the space.

Cost: $38 million

When: Organizers will break ground by early 2024, with construction set to finish in 2025.

Palomar: See what OKC's new family justice center for domestic violence survivors could look like

Innovation Hall

What it is: The Innovation Hall was pitched as a venue for coding academy training, entrepreneurial meetings and events, and “pop-up” showcases for ideas and networking. It's part of the Convergence development — a joint venture of Robinson Park and Gardner Tanenbaum — in the heart of the Oklahoma City Innovation District.

Cost: MAPS 4 is giving $10 million of matching funds to the overall $177.5 million project. The Innovation Hall itself is not being managed by MAPS 4.

When: Construction has started and the center is expected to open in mid-2024.

Henrietta B. Foster Center for Northeast Small Business Development and Entrepreneurship

What it is: A business support center at 614 NE 4 to help accelerate growth for minority-owned small businesses.

Cost: It will receive $16.7 from MAPS 4.

When: It should transition from design to construction by fall of 2024.

BRT for the east side, south side corridors

What it is: "BRT," or Bus Rapid Transit, routes are designed to feature high-frequency service with fewer stops, enhanced and specialized bus stations, and dedicated lanes similar to the city's EMBARK streetcar. These are focused on underserved communities.

Cost: $61 million

When: A BRT system line for northwest Oklahoma City is nearing completion and set to start running later this fall. Once design plans are finalized and approved, construction for the new routes can begin, but that's not projected until the end of 2026.

More: What is BRT and why is OKC spending $61 million on it? Here's what to know

A new Animal Welfare Center

What it is: A new Oklahoma City Animal Shelter to replace the current facility at 2811 SE 29. The current shelter has endured multiple closures this year due to outbreaks of an upper respiratory infection.

Cost: $42 million

When: It's currently in the the design phase, with construction beginning in summer 2024.

Overwhelmed and isolated: Dog flu outbreak causes crowding, boost in euthanasia at OKC shelter

Crisis centers for mental health, addiction, affordable housing

What it is: These highly anticipated centers for mental health and substance abuse services in Oklahoma City are set to divert people dealing with different struggles away from the much-criticized Oklahoma County jail.

Cost: $44.6 million, which includes $12.6 million for two new mental health crisis centers, a $24.5 million "restoration center" to offer drug detox rehabilitation and substance abuse services, and $7.8 million for temporary housing for those experiencing mental illness and homelessness while transitioning out of crisis centers.

When: Early design plans are underway, but they won't be ready for presentation until early 2024.

ViewPoints: MAPS 4 funds could have significant impact for Oklahoma City's homeless

A new Clara Luper Civil Rights Center

What it is: A museum named after the schoolteacher and activist who led the Katz Drug Store sit-ins 65 years ago in Oklahoma City, set to be built adjacent to the historic Freedom Center on 2609 Martin Luther King Ave. in northeast Oklahoma City, where Luper would regularly meet with the NAACP Youth Council.

Cost: $17.1 million of MAPS 4 funding, with an additional $9.6 million for operations and maintenance expenses.

When: Groundbreaking planned for late summer of 2024.

More: OKC civil rights history gains MAPS 4 attention

Beautification plans throughout OKC

What it is: Beautification efforts include the installment of murals, plazas, gardens, landscaping, artwork, bridge enhancements and more. More than 20 possible locations are being considered, including city entrance gateways near Will Rogers World Airport, a statue of Ralph Ellison, as well as a plan to allocate $1 million toward tree-planting strategies throughout the city.

Cost: $32.9 million

When: Plans should be presented to city management by late October or early November, but construction is not expected to begin until mid-2024.

Construction of new parks and planned upgrades

What it is: The Parks Master Plan Development project is set to upgrade 105 neighborhood and community parks outside of the downtown Oklahoma City area. As part of the plan, new parks are also expected to be built elsewhere in the metro, including the southeast and the northeast parts of the city.

Cost: $154 million budget

When: Feedback from the public has been gathered for which parks to prioritize, but final construction of the parks plan won't finish until 2029.

More: Can $154 million save Oklahoma City parks? See what is being planned

Youth centers

What it is: A partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County to build four new youth centers with afterschool and summer programming.

Cost: $118 million

When: Program planning is underway, with the first of the new youth centers set to begin construction in 2025.

More: The Boys and Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County offer love

Senior wellness centers

What it is: Funding for construction of a new wellness senior center, and a scholarship fund to allow older adults with lower incomes to continue using existing centers.

Cost: $31.7 million

When: Several senior centers from the MAPS 3 budget already have opened or are in progress. An operator for the latest MAPS 4 senior center has not yet been identified, but designs will be expected by late 2024.

Sidewalks, bike lanes, and streetlights

What it is: A citywide effort to continue improving sidewalks, bike lanes, and related amenities.

Cost: $96.5 million

When: Results of this project, including 1,000 streetlights, will begin showing in 2024.

Contributing: Jana Hayes, Steve Lackmeyer

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: What MAPS 4 projects will start in OKC in 2024? What to know