BUFFALO, N.Y. — An iconic building in Buffalo’s Allentown district will become a hub for the region’s LGBTQ+ community, with GLYS WNY purchasing the former Oxford Pennant headquarters and workshop to accommodate its growing programs and services.
According to a press release, the building at 810 Main St. will serve as the permanent home of GLYS WNY and the Pride Center of Western New York. Both organizations currently lease space at separate locations that are inadequate to meet growing demand for their programs and services.
“Finally we will have a space for everyone,” said Ed Drantch, chair of the GLYS Board of Directors. “This begins a whole new chapter in our history.”
The release states that the property includes 8,000 square feet of office space and a 5,000-square-foot former manufacturing facility. The purchase also includes more than 25 dedicated parking spaces at the adjacent 8 St. Louis Place.
“The possibilities are enormous,” said Jack Kavanaugh, executive director of GLYS WNY. “Not only will we have a fully accessible building for all of our programs, we will have room to grow and community space for other groups who share our goals and values.”
According to the release, several LGBTQ+ organizations have expressed interest in using the space, including the Nickel City Treble Makers, Buffalo Gay Men’s Chorus, Upstate Black Latino Pride and the Buffalo-Niagara LGBTQ History Project.
The planned purchase and renovation are expected to cost more than $3 million, the release reads. James Zawodzinski Jr., a GLYS board member, is chairing a 25-person committee tasked with raising funds for the project.
“This will better serve our youth, better serve our seniors … and everyone in between,” Zawodzinski said.
The new location is intended to provide expanded space for GLYS WNY and the Pride Center of Western New York while creating opportunities for other organizations to offer programs, build partnerships, and serve the region’s LGBTQ+ community, according to the release.
