New facility opens for gays, lesbians - Complex boasts cafe, gymnasium, store and theater

New facility opens for gays, lesbians - Complex boasts cafe, gymnasium, store and theater
By Alexa Aguilar
Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune
Published June 6, 2007


When Vernita Gray began advocating for gay rights in the early 1970s, she met with gays and lesbians in a small rented space, and they received little support from their straight neighbors and political leaders, she said.

She has witnessed remarkable change since then, Gray said Tuesday, as she stood in a Lakeview rooftop garden that is part of a new, $20 million center for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.

"This will be my 38th Pride Parade this month and to come past this building and see what has been accomplished, I will shed some tears," said Gray, a liaison to the gay community for the Cook County state's attorney. "I could not have believed then that this would happen in my lifetime."

The Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted St., is five years in the making, built primarily with the millions raised from 2,000 private donors -- including former tennis star Billie Jean King, for whom the recreational hall is named -- and help from city, state and federal dollars.

With recreational, cultural and support services all under one roof, the facility is the most comprehensive gay community center in the Midwest, its founders say.

In the lofty rooms of the three-story community center, people can play basketball in a huge gym, attend a production in the theater and surf the Web in a computer lab. There is also dedicated space for seniors, teens and offices. There will be a charge for some services, but use of facilities such as the gym and computer lab are free.

The three-story, 185,000-square-foot complex also will house a cafe, underground parking garage and a Whole Foods grocery store, whose rent will help to sustain programs.

Daley, city aldermen and state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias attended Tuesday's opening ceremony. The center's rooftop garden is named after Daley, who received loud cheers from the crowd at the opening.

Calling it a "labor of love," Daley said the "community center is good for business, good for the community and good for the environment."

The complex features green design, including natural ventilation and light, the rooftop garden and a rainwater collection system that is used for the toilets.

It also features the terra cotta and brick facade of the 1920s-era building once on the site. The remaining 75 percent of the facade is clear glass -- a nod to the fact that the gay community no longer feels it has to hide, officials said.

"It's a huge, visible beacon," said Robbin Burr, the center's executive director.

In addition to services and full-time programs, the center can be used for birthday parties, commitment ceremonies and other events.

There have been services for gays in crisis for years, Burr said, and that will continue. But the community was seeking programs and services for gays who were "comfortable in themselves," she said.

For youth, the center's programs could serve as the first place they feel comfortable with their homosexuality.

"They can find role models here," Burr said, and feel like part of a larger community.

The programs for young people were a major reason Lorin Adolph, 42, decided to donate to the project.

Adolph, a lifetime Lakeview resident, had never given a significant amount to a charitable organization before, but felt moved to do so when he recalled growing up in the 1970s without many gay role models. The adult gays he does remember were ridiculed by his peers, he said.

"I thought, 'If I can be a small part of this place where young people don't have to hear those comments,' then I should do this," Adolph said.

He said he takes pride in living in a city where he can live openly as a gay man.

Gray, the longtime activist, said that while she could never have visualized such progress when she was a younger woman, she's delighted that current and future generations of gays have a permanent home.

"There's nothing like a home of your own," Gray said.

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aaguilar@tribune.com