Oklahoma City begins construction on $18.7 million Clara Luper Civil Rights Center
Oklahoma City announced that construction began July 23, 2026, on the Clara Luper Civil Rights Center, moving the city-funded project from planning into construction.
The planned facility is a 48,370-square-foot development on May Avenue in Oklahoma City. The city describes the project cost as $18.7 million.
The construction start is a confirmed implementation step, not an opening or completion announcement. The approved source information does not provide a completion date, opening date or total operating cost for the facility.
Two city funding sources
The project’s listed funding is split between $13.7 million from MAPS 4 and $5 million from the OKC 2025 Bond. Together, those allocations equal the city’s stated $18.7 million project cost.
That financing links the center to two municipal public-funding programs. The city identifies the Clara Luper center as a MAPS 4 project, while the separate bond allocation makes up the remaining portion of the stated development cost.
For city government, the groundbreaking marks the point at which the announced public investment is being put into physical construction. The project is intended to create an interpretive and community-gathering space, according to the city.
Planned operator and project scope
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County will operate the facility, the city said. The city’s announcement identifies that organization as the planned operator, rather than describing the center as city-operated.
The project is named for Clara Luper and is being developed as a civil-rights center. Its announced 48,370-square-foot scale and $18.7 million cost establish the scope of the municipal capital project now under construction.
The center’s stated role as an interpretive and community-gathering space identifies the planned use of the building, while the operator designation identifies who is expected to run the facility after construction. Neither detail means the facility has opened.
Separate council action at Woodson Park
A related but separate MAPS 4 action occurred two days earlier. On July 21, 2026, the Oklahoma City Council approved final plans for the first MAPS 4 youth center at Woodson Park.
That council decision concerns the Woodson Park youth-center project and should not be treated as approval or construction action for the Clara Luper Civil Rights Center. The confirmed development for the Clara Luper project is the July 23 start of construction.
Construction is the next confirmed stage for the Clara Luper center. The city has not provided a further construction milestone in the approved information.
Sources
- City of Oklahoma City news releases, City of Oklahoma City