Last Updated on September 29, 2023, 4:09 PM | Published: September 29, 2023
WARR ACRES, Okla. — Warr Acres City Council gave the thumbs-up on Putnam City Schools’ longtime development plans for what was once the site of Capps Middle School near NW 39th Expressway and Ann Arbor.
Councilmembers approved the Putnam City School District’s PUD zoning application, giving legal consent for the planned developments on a section of the district’s original campus.
The council heard some details on the project, too.
Putnam City District Superintendent Dr. Fred Rhodes and Executive Director Of Operations at Putnam City Schools Shbrone Brookings gave a presentation to the council detailing some of the planned additions.
The site will include a 47,000-square-foot administration building, a performing arts center with 350 seats, and a “lawn” style park that has “amphitheater-style seating.”
The performing arts center and the park will be rentable, but not open to the public. The complex will be fenced off and not accessible by passersby.
Some may wonder where the funding for this project is coming from, and if Warr Acres is on the hook for any of it.
In fact, the project was approved in a couple of District bond votes years ago, and so funding is legally separated from the City’s coffers. Warr Acres only had to approve that the district could build the complex on the land.
The land is owned by Putnam City Schools, and the Centennial Center was a plan first approved in the $120 million 2014 Bond vote.
In 2020, another historic $133.45 million bond vote added the performing arts center and the “theater-in-the-round” space to the plans.
Construction should begin late spring of 2024.
Council marks passing of long-time councilmember John Knipp
Longtime resident and Warr Acres Vice Mayor John Louis Knipp, 76, passed away on August 17th, 2023.
“Big John” as he was known by friends spent his life dedicated to service; He served for the United States Marines in Vietnam, earning the Vietnam Service Medal with One Star, The Vietnam Campaign Medal, and The Purple Heart.
John worked and retired for the City of Oklahoma City as an ASE Master Mechanic. After, he began his service as Warr Acres Ward 3 Councilman and Vice Mayor.
The council started the meeting with an honor from the American Legion from Post 12 Bethany-Warr Acres.
The council also invited State Representative Tammy West, and she presented John Knipp’s surviving family with a State of Oklahoma Citation in his honor.
A statement from Mayor Roger Godwin in honor of Knipp reads as such.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of a long-time serving Ward 3 Councilman Big John Knipp.
He dedicated his life to his God, family, friends, city, work and his community. John served as Vice-Mayor and council member for many years as well and many other roles. One thing John always did from the horseshoe was acknowledge the work of the city employees from those picking up the trash, public works, code enforcement, the city hall ladies he would just drop by to say hello and bring a smile to everyone’s face., police and fire. We honor our friend, colleague and patriot who served as a Marine and a civil servant his entire life.
With my fullest and greatest respect to my friend and adopted grandpa to my children Honorable John Knipp you will be missed.”
The next meeting of the Warr Acres City Council is scheduled for October 17, 2023, at 6:00 PM.
Damian Powell is our government reporter for the smaller municipalities in the OKC metro such as Moore, Norman, Bethany, and Warr Acres. Damian is studying Political Science at the University of Oklahoma.
