By Nora Kowalczyk
BUFFALO — For most of its history, GLYS WNY has done its work out of sight: first in space below the YWCA on Franklin Street, later in the basement of Trinity Episcopal Church.
Its next home will be one of the most recognizable buildings in Allentown, the one with “Keep Buffalo A Secret” painted on its side.
GLYS WNY and the Pride Center of Western New York announced Wednesday night that they are buying 810 Main St., the longtime headquarters and workshop of the textile maker Oxford Pennant. The building will become a permanent shared home for both groups and a gathering place for other LGBTQ+ organizations in the region.
WBEN reported the price at $1.5 million, matching Buffalo Business First’s report earlier this week that the groups had the building under contract. The groups said the purchase and renovation together are expected to cost more than $3 million.
From the basement to Main Street
Executive Director Jack Kavanagh said the basement years served their purpose.
“That was what was needed at the time,” Mr. Kavanagh told Buffalo Toronto Public Media. “We need to be more visible.”
He said the building’s profile was part of the appeal.
“I think being able to say, we started in these basements and we’re coming out into now an extremely visible building and storefront and presence — I think is a really important step for us as a community to be that more visible presence,” he said.
Both organizations now lease space at separate locations that, according to their announcement, can’t keep up with demand for their programs.
“Finally, we will have a space for everyone,” Ed Drantch, chair of the GLYS board, said in the release, as reported by WKBW. “This begins a whole new chapter in our history.”
What the building offers
According to the groups, the property has 8,000 square feet of office space plus a 5,000-square-foot former manufacturing space. It also comes with more than 25 parking spaces on the adjacent lot at 8 St. Louis Place.
“The possibilities are enormous,” Mr. Kavanagh said in the release. “Not only will we have a fully accessible building for all of our programs, we will also have room to grow and community space for groups who share our goals and values.”
Several groups have expressed interest in using the space, the release said, including the Nickel City Treble Makers, the Buffalo Gay Men’s Chorus, Upstate Black Latino Pride and the Buffalo-Niagara LGBTQ History Project.
The fundraising ahead
GLYS board member James Zawodzinski Jr. is chairing a 25-person committee to raise money for the purchase and renovation.
“This will better serve our youth, better serve our seniors and everyone in between,” Mr. Zawodzinski said.
The groups have also opened a community survey on how the building should be designed and used.
“We really want to make sure we’re engaging the community, asking how we can best use the space and design it to make it be something that’s as useful as possible to as many people as possible,” Mr. Kavanagh said. “It’s really a momentous and generational opportunity to build something meaningful for all Western New York.”
Oxford Pennant’s next chapter
The sale follows Oxford Pennant’s announcement in April that it plans to move to Larkinville, into the former home of the Custom Canvas Manufacturing Co., BTPM reported. The company’s Main Street building and its tongue-in-cheek slogan have become a familiar sight along Main Street in Allentown.
The groups have not said when they expect to move in. That will depend on how quickly the renovation money comes together.
More information about GLYS WNY is available at glyswny.org, and about the Pride Center at pridecenterwny.org.
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