Open up a travel guide and you’re likely to see multiple passages about where to find the local “gayborhood,” a neighborhood disproportionately populated by LGBTQ people. In San Francisco, there’s the Castro. In Chicago, you have Boystown. And in Mexico City, there’s Zona Rosa. Walk through any of these neighborhoods, and you’ll discover blocks of… Read more »
The rainbow crosswalks at 13th and Locust Streets were once a gleaming landmark for the Gayborhood. That was 2015, when Instagram-happy visitors would traipse across the newly painted strip for photo after photo. Now the crosswalks look, well, less than cheerful. Years of construction and use have faded them considerably. But there is a solution:… Read more »
Sit at Common Market in Plaza Midwood long enough on a weekend evening and it will inevitably happen. A red, open-aired bus will eventually drive by — a comedic tour guide blasting jokes through the onboard microphone as it drives toward the iconic neighborhood bar, deli and convenience store rolled into one. Regular patrons at… Read more »
Do you live in a gayborhood? You know what I’m talking about, right? A community in a metropolitan area where large numbers of LGBT people reside. Examples include Chicago’s Boystown or WEHO in Los Angeles. If the answer is yes, you wouldn’t be alone. Many who identify as queer choose to live in such areas… Read more »
Is the LGBTQI-centric neighborhood still needed in this day and age? Over the past few decades, city neighborhoods have changed. Developers have moved in, building condos and mixed-used developments that have displaced many residents and mom-and-pop businesses. When talking about this phenomenon, we normally refer back to the racial makeup of a city, but one… Read more »
Boystown is arguably the most famous gay neighborhood in the world. Established in the mid-20th century on the North Side of Chicago, it has long been an area LGBTQ people could call home, where they could meet others like them and grab a bite to eat in a place where they’d expect to be welcomed…. Read more »
When bars like the Gangway close, it’s easy to dive into conversations about nostalgia. As San Francisco’s oldest continuously operating gay bar, the Gangway opened in 1910 and served primarily gay customers since the 1960s. Its shuttering earlier this year rippled through the LGBT community. Known as a humble yet familiar locale, it served as… Read more »
Capitol Hill, widely known since the 1970s as Seattle’s gay neighborhood, is changing. As development and gentrification sweep in, many longtime residents have moved out. But is the gayborhood dying, or just changing? To newcomers, it may be difficult to imagine that it was ever any different. But Capitol Hill didn’t always have the city’s… Read more »
I remember my first gay bar. I was 20, newly single, and frustrated. I knew only a handful of gay people at the University of Maryland, where I was a senior, but one night a guy in my campus a cappella group invited me out to Apex, a club near Dupont Circle. Standing at the… Read more »
In a room the size of a “broom closet” on the third floor of the Student Center, Ian Morrison said he found his “gay tribe.” The small room was the meeting place for Temple’s Lambda Lions, a former student organization for gay students. Morrison, a 1997 journalism alumnus who was president of the club, said… Read more »
San Francisco has long been known as a safe haven for LGBTI people. In 19th century, during California’s Gold Rush, San Francisco was a place heavily populated by men who hoped to become successful out West. ‘The transition to San Francisco as a major port city through the end of the 19th century solidified it… Read more »
Every year, The Advocate ranks the cities in the US for queer friendliness based on a number of criteria. This year, the criteria includes lesbian bars, trans events, gay rugby teams, theaters screening “Moonlight”, Misterb&b hosts, LGBT centers, and more. Here’s today’s pick: Buffalo winters are loooong, but that’s why there are places like the… Read more »
Every year, The Advocate ranks the cities in the US for queer friendliness based on a number of criteria. This year, the criteria includes lesbian bars, trans events, gay rugby teams, theaters screening “Moonlight”, Misterb&b hosts, LGBT centers, and more. Here’s today’s pick: We’ve long had a soft spot for New Orleans, just as NOLA… Read more »
Every year, The Advocate ranks the cities in the US for queer friendliness based on a number of criteria. This year, the criteria includes lesbian bars, trans events, gay rugby teams, theaters screening “Moonlight”, Misterb&b hosts, LGBT centers, and more. Here’s today’s pick: The star of the South is really becoming one of the country’s… Read more »
Every year, The Advocate ranks the cities in the US for queer friendliness based on a number of criteria. This year, the criteria includes lesbian bars, trans events, gay rugby teams, theaters screening “Moonlight”, Misterb&b hosts, LGBT centers, and more. Here’s today’s pick: No, Pittsburgh is not like it’s depicted in Showtime’s 2000s series Queer… Read more »
Every year, The Advocate ranks the cities in the US for queer friendliness based on a number of criteria. This year, the criteria includes lesbian bars, trans events, gay rugby teams, theaters screening “Moonlight”, Misterb&b hosts, LGBT centers, and more. Here’s today’s pick: Minneapolis and St. Paul are some hip twins, huh? The former is… Read more »
Every year, The Advocate ranks the cities in the US for queer friendliness based on a number of criteria. This year, the criteria includes lesbian bars, trans events, gay rugby teams, theaters screening “Moonlight”, Misterb&b hosts, LGBT centers, and more. Here’s today’s pick: An Orange County, Calif., city in the top 10? As mentioned previously,… Read more »
Every year, The Advocate ranks the cities in the US for queer friendliness based on a number of criteria. This year, the criteria includes lesbian bars, trans events, gay rugby teams, theaters screening “Moonlight”, Misterb&b hosts, LGBT centers, and more. Here’s today’s pick: Many people discount St. Louis, well, since it’s kinda in the middle… Read more »
Every year, The Advocate ranks the cities in the US for queer friendliness based on a number of criteria. This year, the criteria includes lesbian bars, trans events, gay rugby teams, theaters screening “Moonlight”, Misterb&b hosts, LGBT centers, and more. Here’s today’s pick: Surprised that Toledo has an 89 on HRC’s Muncipal Equality Index? Yeah,… Read more »
Every year, The Advocate ranks the cities in the US for queer friendliness based on a number of criteria. This year, the criteria includes lesbian bars, trans events, gay rugby teams, theaters screening “Moonlight”, Misterb&b hosts, LGBT centers, and more. Here’s today’s pick: Sandwiched between San Diego and Mexico, Chula Vista (Spanish for “beautiful view”)… Read more »
Every year, The Advocate ranks the cities in the US for queer friendliness based on a number of criteria. This year, the criteria includes lesbian bars, trans events, gay rugby teams, theaters screening “Moonlight”, Misterb&b hosts, LGBT centers, and more. Here’s today’s pick: You might be surprised to discover Henderson is Nevada’s second-largest city, after… Read more »
Every year, The Advocate ranks the cities in the US for queer friendliness based on a number of criteria. This year, the criteria includes lesbian bars, trans events, gay rugby teams, theaters screening “Moonlight”, Misterb&b hosts, LGBT centers, and more. Here’s today’s pick: Another North Carolina oasis of relative liberalism, Durham sits in the middle… Read more »
Every year, The Advocate ranks the cities in the US for queer friendliness based on a number of criteria. This year, the criteria includes lesbian bars, trans events, gay rugby teams, theaters screening “Moonlight”, Misterb&b hosts, LGBT centers, and more. Here’s today’s pick: Over the years, Miami has had its ebbs and flows (remember the… Read more »
Every year, The Advocate ranks the cities in the US for queer friendliness based on a number of criteria. This year, the criteria includes lesbian bars, trans events, gay rugby teams, theaters screening “Moonlight”, Misterb&b hosts, LGBT centers, and more. Here’s today’s pick: Exorbitant housing prices and a sinking high-rise couldn’t knock San Francisco from… Read more »
Every year, The Advocate ranks the cities in the US for queer friendliness based on a number of criteria. This year, the criteria includes lesbian bars, trans events, gay rugby teams, theaters screening “Moonlight”, Misterb&b hosts, LGBT centers, and more. Here’s today’s pick: Don’t hold the fact that Greensboro is in North Carolina against it…. Read more »
Every year, The Advocate ranks the cities in the US for queer friendliness based on a number of criteria. This year, the criteria includes lesbian bars, trans events, gay rugby teams, theaters screening “Moonlight”, Misterb&b hosts, LGBT centers, and more. Here’s today’s pick: Florida’s burgeoning west coast is anchored by Tampa, one of the state’s… Read more »
Every year, The Advocate ranks the cities in the US for queer friendliness based on a number of criteria. This year, the criteria includes lesbian bars, trans events, gay rugby teams, theaters screening “Moonlight”, Misterb&b hosts, LGBT centers, and more. Here’s today’s pick: With over 300,000 hardy souls, Anchorage is the closest thing to a… Read more »
Every year, The Advocate ranks the cities in the US for queer friendliness based on a number of criteria. This year, the criteria includes lesbian bars, trans events, gay rugby teams, theaters screening “Moonlight”, Misterb&b hosts, LGBT centers, and more. Here’s today’s pick: This job-rich (and church-rich) north Texas city is no San Francisco, but… Read more »
Every year, The Advocate ranks the cities in the US for queer friendliness based on a number of criteria. This year, the criteria includes lesbian bars, trans events, gay rugby teams, theaters screening “Moonlight”, Misterb&b hosts, LGBT centers, and more. Here’s today’s pick: The home of original single lady Mary Richards is more than Arctic… Read more »
Every year, The Advocate ranks the cities in the US for queer friendliness based on a number of criteria. This year, the criteria includes lesbian bars, trans events, gay rugby teams, theaters screening “Moonlight”, Misterb&b hosts, LGBT centers, and more. Here’s today’s pick: Only an hour’s drive from Los Angeles, Anaheim is not such a… Read more »
Every year, The Advocate ranks the cities in the US for queer friendliness based on a number of criteria. This year, the criteria includes lesbian bars, trans events, gay rugby teams, theaters screening “Moonlight”, Misterb&b hosts, LGBT centers, and more. Here’s today’s pick: Like Long Beach, Seattle has an out mayor (Ed Murray) and a… Read more »
Every year, The Advocate ranks the cities in the US for queer friendliness based on a number of criteria. This year, the criteria includes lesbian bars, trans events, gay rugby teams, theaters screening “Moonlight”, Misterb&b hosts, LGBT centers, and more. Here’s today’s pick: Long Beach has long been an underrated California city, with most folks… Read more »
People may view Fort Lauderdale as a tourist-friendly coastal city, but the real estate experts at Zillow have found another characteristic worth noting: the Poinsettia Heights neighborhood is a “gayborhood,†and it’s good for real estate values. It’s called the Gayborhood Phenomenon in the book “Zillow Talk: The New Rules of Real Estate.†Zillow determined… Read more »
The election of Donald Trump portendsâ€â€if not darker daysâ€â€certainly more gloomy days ahead for America’s LGBT community. President-elect Trump’s proposed policy agenda seems designed to marginalize minority groups, and Vice President-elect Pence has a demonstrated track record of vigorously working to restrict LGBT rights. The tone set by their transition team has already proven to… Read more »
Situated conveniently across I-85/75 west of Midtown, the city’s main gay hub, the Westside (also known as West Midtown) was mostly a swath of warehouses and industrial concerns  some of them vacant  until developers, restaurateurs, and artists began moving in over the past 10 to 15 years. This large neighborhood sprawls a bit… Read more »
As with Portland, you could make the case that fast-growing Austin is one big cluster of post-gay culture, with several neighborhoods that fit the bill as mixed LGBTQ-straight enclaves of the creative class, including South Congress, Clarksville, Zilker, Hyde Park, and the area surrounded University of Texas. But Austin’s East Side — starting just across… Read more »
Traditionally the city’s close-knit Jewish neighborhood, Mile End is in Montreal’s upper Plateau area, just north of lovely Parc du Mont-Royal. A couple of miles west of downtown and the bright-pink Gay Village, the neighborhood is a short walk from the Mont-Royal and Laurier metro stations and has become a bastion of dining, nightlife, and… Read more »
Across the South Platte River and I-25 from downtown Denver, the Lower Highlands neighborhood (aka Lo-Hi) sits on a slight rise with great views of the skyline and historic streets lined with Craftsman bungalows and Victorian homes. Like so many districts that have become popular with artists, gays, entrepreneurs and hipsters, Lower Highlands was a… Read more »
For a couple of decades, Washington’s gay community has been steadily expanding east of the city’s traditional hub of LGBTQ culture, Dupont Circle. The historic Logan Circle neighborhood abounds with beautiful 19th-century townhouses — many of which have been gorgeously restored in recent years. Logan Circle has morphed from a dodgy and downcast district to… Read more »
A long, narrow neighborhood that curves alongside the Allegheny River north and east of downtown, Lawrenceville is a prime example of how numerous working-class neighborhoods in Rust Belt cities throughout the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states have begun to blossom in recent years. Butler Street, lined with up-and-coming cafes, shops, bars, and restaurants bisects Lawrenceville. Lawrenceville… Read more »
The leafy, laid-back, and food-and-drink-obsessed city of Portland has one of the more integrated LGBTQ scenes in the country. Numerous neighborhoods around town have decidedly mixed scenes with significantly queer followings, including several across the Willamette River on the East Side. Hawthorne, the Central Eastside Industrial District, Division Street, Burnside & 28th, and the Mississippi… Read more »
Few neighborhoods in the country are more hipster-identified than Williamsburg, which sits handily across the East River from Manhattan’s East Village and Lower East Side (two diverse, gay-popular, but more expensive neighborhoods in their own right). Much of the best café culture and shopping is centered upon the several blocks surrounding the Bedford Avenue (L… Read more »
You could definitely make a case that Andersonville, which actually has several lesbian- and gay-owned bars and other businesses, is actually Chicago’s most mixed post-gay neighborhood, and it is an area definitely worth checking out. But Wicker Park has evolved over the past two decades into one of the country’s most eclectic and inviting hipster… Read more »
LA’s original gay neighborhood became more mixed in the late 20th century as the scene migrated to West Hollywood. Still, this hilly, picturesque enclave east of Hollywood, south of beautiful Griffith Park, and northwest of downtown has always had at least a handful of gay bars. But the scene has changed, and the neighborhood has… Read more »
Over the past decade, the gayborhood has morphed into what’s often termed a “post-gay†neighborhood. At many LGBT-owned businesses, you’re apt to bump into plenty of straight folks as well  and vice versa. And it’s a good bet that the formerly explicitly gay neighborhoods will continue to become steadily more diverse  including the… Read more »
I’m interested in the history of whether or not there was a Detroit gayborhood. The Short Answer After World War II, downtown Detroit was a hub for gay bars. Then, starting in the 1950s, the gay population began following the migration pattern of many Metro Detroiters, heading northward. By the 1970s, there was a community… Read more »
In 1968, Deacon Maccubbin quit the U.S. Army. He’d been stationed in Virginia with the National Guard while the movement against the Vietnam War reached a fever pitch. The Norfolk native started to feel guilty donning his uniform, knowing young men were dying in droves for an absurd cause. So Maccubbin burned his military papers…. Read more »
LGBT advocates in America’s third-gayest city have renewed their push to install rainbow-colored crosswalks on a downtown street. Austin Pride wants two rainbow-colored crosswalks on Bettie Naylor Street  named for a pioneering Texas LGBT activist  in the city’s warehouse district, which is home to its largest gay nightclubs. The rainbow crosswalks received initial… Read more »
Within the realm of gay Los Angeles, West Hollywood and Silver Lake are like the Sharks and the Jets. One is a community of party boys and twunks (the portmanteau of twink and hunk, for all you basic heterosexuals), characterized by their chiseled physiques and designer tank tops. Contrastingly, the other is an edgier, more… Read more »
Space, place, neighborhood and household — these are all terms we use in everyday life to describe where we like to hang out, play, sleep, eat and love. Because we identify ourselves through things such as names, sexual and gender identities, race/ethnicity and national origin, it is fair to say that when discussing intersectionality, the… Read more »
Seattle is experiencing a new era of gentrification, one that doesn’t just bulldoze low income apartment buildings but is also wiping out traditional gayborhoods, severing the links between queer generations. Two artists respond with resilience. Seattle is “broverwhelmed.” Between the tech industry and the real estate developers catering to upscale tastes of the increasingly privileged… Read more »
As expected, San Francisco planners are recommending approval of a mixed-use redevelopment project that would incorporate a Castro funeral home building. At its February 11 meeting, the planning commission is expected to vote on the Prado Group’s revamp of Sullivan’s Funeral Home at 2254 Market Street and its adjacent parking lot. The developer has proposed… Read more »
Los Angeles is losing one of its oldest and most dearly beloved gay bars: Roosterfish in Venice is set to close after 37 years after a rent hike has made its lease unaffordable. Wrote bartender Gaetano Jones on Facebook: “So yes the rumors are true… After 37 years of business, The Roosterfish is closing for… Read more »
Personal assistant Brenden Michaels is wondering if his days in Brooklyn are numbered. He still clings to a cheap rental flat in uber-gentrified Williamsburg, but has seen his neighbourhood’s prices skyrocket. He now laughingly suspects even the improvements he’s made to his own home may eventually come back to bite him. “I’ve repainted everything, put… Read more »
A neighborhood in south Dallas bound by Fair Park, I-45 and I-30 is among the many neighborhoods in the historically blighted area beginning to garner real estate developers’ attention. Thanks to a push by civic and business leaders to provide affordable housing and more infrastructure investments such as transportation, the storefronts by Fair Park are… Read more »
Salt Lake City could soon have a street named after pioneering gay leader Harvey Milk, an idea that reflects the progressive bent of the city that’s home to the Mormon church and capital of a conservative state. City officials say they have been working with LGBT leaders on the initiative, which would place Harvey Milk… Read more »
Salt Lake City could soon have a street named after pioneering gay leader Harvey Milk, an idea that reflects the progressive bent of the city that’s home to the Mormon church and capital of a conservative state. City officials say they have been working with LGBT leaders on the initiative, which would place Harvey Milk… Read more »
We’ve had a brief spell of cold weather lately in Seattle, signaling that a climate  change is imminent. We know people like to get everything done before it gets too cold outside, so if you’re putting something off make sure to get to it! Wash your car, clean the gutters, clear out your garage, put… Read more »
The gayborhood will get a little gayer just in time for Pride. The Atlanta City Council on Monday approved the temporary installation of rainbow crosswalks at a busy Midtown intersection. The resolution, sponsored by City Council member Kwanza Hall, enables the crosswalks for 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue for two weeks, paving the way for… Read more »
After an extensive period of speculation and rumor-milling, we’re hearing that famed St. Pete watering hole Georgie’s Alibi will be no more as of Sept. 19. Our reporter, Aaron Alper, just returned from a phone call with the real estate developer, and it seems that the news is grim. The area’s most notable gay bar… Read more »
The West Village of Manhattan is a place “where the streets are so tiny, so isolated from the hubbub of the rest of the city, they have managed to stay trapped in a time warp,” said Barry Benepe, an architect and urban planner who has rented an apartment on Jane Street since 1971 and was… Read more »
San Francisco’s Castro Merchants business group voted this morning (Thursday, August 6) to approve a proposed ice cream shop in the neighborhood. Juliet Pries, a 15-year-Castro resident, said she hopes to open the Cafe Fountain at 554 Castro Street by early 2016. Pries, who’s straight and currently owns Ice Cream Bar, at 815 Cole Street… Read more »
Like many Seattle neighborhoods, Belltown has undergone tremendous change through the years. The area was named by William Nathaniel Bell, an Illinois native and member of the first group of white settlers in Seattle. Bell lived in Seattle on and off until his death in 1887, and he left his mark on the city in… Read more »
For decades, the blinds of this semisubterranean Laguna Beach bar were closed tight. Back then, the dingy saloon was underground in more ways than one. People whom employers might still refuse to hire because of their love interests flirted openly as they knocked back martinis. Couples whom hotels might turn away for wanting to share… Read more »
The intersection of 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue is already nicknamed by some as the Corner of Gay and Lesbian, Where Gay meets Gayer, or Gay Ground Zero. Now an art installation could make Midtown Atlanta’s LGBT epicenter official. Other cities across the country and around the world have taken a page from the Beatles… Read more »
Like it or not, the death of “gayborhoods” is a sign of progress, even if it does bring with it some feelings of loss. That, despite an article in Salon.com that highlights one Capitol Hill resident’s complaint that Amazon killed his “gayborhood.” It’s a gripe I’ve been hearing a lot of lately, but it’s one… Read more »
For more than two decades the Obelisk Mercantile shop in Hillcrest has been a landmark destination for shoppers both near and far. The store offers everything from clothing to unique items that can be instantly purchased at the checkstand. But that legacy will soon end at the end of July. Owner Brett Serwalt who has… Read more »
Gay neighborhoods are not just more expensive than most other neighborhoods in their metropolitan area, they also appreciate more quickly. In the last three years, home prices in neighborhoods with high numbers of male same-sex couples have increased by an average of 23%, according to a new study by online real estate service Trulia; prices… Read more »
Today’s post about the coming closure of Candle Bar prompted JMG reader John to tip us to OUTgoing, a recently-launched project to map all of the former and current gay bars in New York City history. Citylab reports: Jeff Ferzoco has created an interactive map, OUTgoing, that captures the ever-unfolding history of New York’s LGBT… Read more »
Candle Bar, the neighborhood’s oldest gay bar — and some argue the oldest in the city — is closing at the end of the month. The Amsterdam Avenue bar opened in the mid-1960s, and some people argue it has had its license and been openly gay longer than Julius, a West Village gay bar that… Read more »
For many years, a perplexing phenomenon has made its way into real estate markets across the country: where there is a high concentration of same-sex couples, real estate tends to be more expensive and appreciate in value faster. The trend was made famous by a 2001 study by Richard Florida and Gary Gates, which found… Read more »
Yes, 2015 marks the 100th anniversary of San Diego’s renowned Balboa Park and there are continuing events celebrating this historic landmark as there should be. Balboa Park has played a great part in the history of San Diego’s LGBT community. From social, political, HIV-AIDS demonstrations and Pride, etc. In fact, this year marks the 40th… Read more »
There are probably more people out and about at 13th and Locust streets at midnight than at noon. The block feels like a parade route when the temperature rises. Customers grab tables at Knock just to catch a glimpse of the eclectic entourages that glide past on their way to leather night, a dance party… Read more »
If CHS understands the way this works correctly, back in 1995, City of Seattle planners predicted $15 cocktails, drones, the demolition of Piecora’s, and Anarchists. And they did nothing to stop it. The good news is there is a chance to help influence the next 20-year plan and what place Capitol Hill, First Hill, and… Read more »
We’re going to start bringing you interesting real estate articles, LGBT and otherwise, in a regular travel round-up. Enjoy! GENERAL INTEREST USA:25 Cities for Good Pay and Good Housing (Washington Post)Don’t move to New York if you’re looking for work. The city isn’t on a new list of good places to find jobs compiled by… Read more »
Straight guys (and at least some lesbians) love their breastaurants. Now Oak Lawn has something for the gay gays (and straight women) — a “chestaurant.” Tallywackers — a bar, restaurant and live entertainment venue featuring a wait staff consisting of hot men in tight t-shirts and short-shorts — holds its grand opening Saturday, May 30…. Read more »
Boosters of a plan to construct a leather-themed public plaza in San Francisco’s South of Market neighborhood are competing for grant funding from the San Francisco Parks Alliance. Dubbed Eagle Plaza, the parklet would be built on the block of 12th Street between Harrison and Bernice, which fronts the gay-owned Eagle bar. The Bay Area… Read more »
“Our management philosophy for ilume and ilume Park includes community involvement and promoting social interaction among people. We have always believed that art is an integral and essential part of that social interaction,” developer Luke Crosland said this week, explaining why The Crosland Group will soon be unveiling a new sculpture installation in front of… Read more »
Sacramento’s Lavender Heights neighborhood is about to get a colorful signature project. The City Council approved the construction Tuesday night of rainbow-colored crosswalks at the intersection of 20th and K streets in midtown. The rainbow design is a symbol of pride and history in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, and Lavender Heights is… Read more »
It looks like Dallas’ gay neighborhood Oak Lawn will soon get a new restaurant called Tallywackers, which has been billed as the male version of Hooters where half-naked men will take patrons’ pizza orders. Tallywackers is looking to launch the eatery in May, the Houston Chronicle reports. Taking a look at the restaurant’s promotional material,… Read more »
If you’ve been on San Francisco’s Castro Street in the past year, you’ve run into some sidewalk construction. Rest assured, it wasn’t in vain. The sidewalks are now wider and more pedestrian-friendly. The palm trees add greenery and decoration. The street lamps turn the street into a kind of dramatic stage set at night. Look… Read more »
Legislation meant to bring stronger public scrutiny of office-type uses taking over ground floor retail spaces in San Francisco’s gay Castro district and along Noe Valley’s commercial corridor sailed through the city’s planning commission today. The commission voted 5-0 to recommend that the Board of Supervisors adopt the zoning change. The supervisors are expected to… Read more »
Most financial institutions looking to open in San Francisco’s gay Castro district can usually bank on facing opposition. Many residents and merchants say the neighborhood is already saturated with enough banks that create dead zones throughout the commercial corridor. Umpqua Bank officials are finding this maxim to be true as they seek approval to open… Read more »
A massive fire swept through Cherry Grove’s commercial district on Fire Island last night, destroying several private homes, the Holly House Hotel, and the Grove Hotel, the last of which was home to the famed Ice Palace nightclub. For decades the Ice Palace hosted the Miss Fire Island pageant and served as the kickoff location… Read more »
It was 3 in the morning last March when Ade Connere was attacked. Connere had been performing at the gay bar Pony on Capitol Hill and was wearing a shiny black coat over a dress. Connere, 36, is tall and lean and exudes a certain elegance, even without makeup or skirts. Two men were walking… Read more »
Do gays mean higher property values? Could be, according to a study by Seattle-based Zillow, the online real estate database. “Our analysis shows that over the last 40 years home prices in historically gay neighborhoods have steadily outperformed average prices for the metros in which they’re located,” according to the study that looked at Albuquerque,… Read more »
Seattle is the fastest growing city in the country, and like thousands of other jerks who are ruining what used to be a moderately populated city with affordable housing, I’m a newcomer here. When I was looking for neighborhoods in Seattle, I decided on Capitol Hill — a densely populated area not far from downtown… Read more »
When Out Traveler named Oak Lawn the “best gayborhood in the U.S.,” it said “Oak Lawn is a shining star in a city soaked with money and privilege.” The magazine also noted that Oak Lawn is “packed with nightlife and eateries,” and praised its proximity to downtown and the Design District. But just what is… Read more »
The often-discussed, but rarely studied, question of whether an influx of gay neighbors can increase home values was tackled by economists at the Seattle-based Zillow in their book “The New Rules of Real Estate.” In a chapter titled the “Gayborhood Phenomenon” Zillow Chief Economist Stan Humphries and CEO Spencer Rascoff look at data on migrations… Read more »
Another store is closing in the Hillcrest gayborhood. SDGLN reports: The Hillcrest location of Revivals will close permanently at the end of February due to the loss of the store’s lease. Revivals has operated the store in Hillcrest for over 4 years. Revivals sells new and used clothing, furniture, and home goods and its proceeds… Read more »
The man buying the four-unit apartment building owned by Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco for about $1.8 million said today (Wednesday, February 11) that all the tenants will get to stay. Realtor Patrick Barber said tenants of 138-140 Eureka Street will “absolutely” be allowed to remain. The announcement in December that the building would… Read more »
Wilton Manors Homes for Sale have continued to see a rise in demand and thus an increase in price over the last couple of couple of months.  The city is seeing a large increase in new construction homes, though they are not new developments, simply tear down’s of previous homes or complete restoration of an… Read more »
The Castro district building that’s housed San Francisco’s Metropolitan Community Church for decades will be replaced by two luxury residential buildings, according to one of the people who just paid about $2.3 million for the crumbling church at 150 Eureka Street. There will be a total of four condo units. David Papale is the agent… Read more »
West Hollywood is a small city geographically; in total we’re less than 2 square miles in size. But our influence and impact is limitless. For 30 years now, “WeHo,” as it’s been affectionately called since its founding, has been a beacon of progressive values and economic innovation for not just the L.A. region but the… Read more »
Center City is crisscrossed by tiny alleys that time, developers, and the 21st century largely forgot, so you may not have noticed an orange liquor application on what appears to be an orphaned carriage house on Cypress Street, behind Vetri’s parking lot, the University of the Arts, and the Center City One condo building. It’s… Read more »
This week’s red carpet premier for the second season of “Looking” used the kind of backdrop that might have seemed fitting for a show about gay men digging through lust, love and angst in San Francisco. The stars stood underneath the Castro Theatre’s neon sign with a drag queen on the sidewalk nearby and several… Read more »
Out Traveler has named Sebastian Beach in Fort Lauderdale, Florida as the hottest Gay Beach in the U.S.  The Fort Lauderdale tourism board has been working hard on improving the tourism sector for the GLBT community. With the recent legalization of Gay Marriage in Florida, it has now opened up the board to try… Read more »
Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco plans to sell its building at 150 Eureka Street and a neighboring four-unit apartment building at 138-140 Eureka Street. Officials with the church, which has been based in the Castro neighborhood for decades, are talking to staff at First Congregational Church on Polk Street about sharing space. MCC staff… Read more »
Five years ago three young hotshots bought the bulk of the commercial district in Fire Island Pines for a reported $17M. Later this month that same group of businesses goes up for auction for a considerably lower opening bid. Maltz Auctions, a leading full-service auction company serving the New York metropolitan region, announced today that… Read more »
If you are part of the LGBT community in St. Petersburg, you know Georgie’s Alibi and its history. The long island iced teas. The pride parties. The drag shows. Georgie’s is, without a doubt, a staple of the gay community. It is also for sale. While the staff at Georgie’s wasn’t available to comment (one… Read more »
Where goes the gayborhood? If you are gay or lesbian or transgendered, odds are you have looked for the “gayborhood” in many cities where you traveled. The gayborhood was the place where people like us found each other and celebrated our LGBT culture. It was a cozy place where we knew we were among our… Read more »
Have you been thinking about buying in South Florida?  The Tri-County area of South Florida which includes Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties is one of the least favorable renting markets for renters according to RealtyTrac.  Rents have risen so much in these counties that most renters, based on the counties median incomes, will… Read more »
We’re counting down the top ten US Gayborhoods, according to Out Traveler. The first place winner is in Dallas: 1. Oak Lawn (Dallas), with 21.24 percent of the vote Here you have it: your favorite gayborhood in the nation. Packed with nightlife and eateries, a stone’s throw from the design district and downtown, Oak Lawn… Read more »
We’re counting down the top ten US Gayborhoods, according to Out Traveler. The second place finisher is in Chicago: 2. Boystown (Chicago), with 19.49 percent of the vote Last year’s number one drops to number two. That’s still pretty impressive, Chicago. Guess Halsted Street is just as clean, friendly, and fun as ever. Congrats, Chicago!… Read more »
We’re counting down the top ten US Gayborhoods, according to Out Traveler. The third place finisher is in San Francisco: 3. Castro (San Francisco), with 10.99 percent of the vote. Can’t keep a good gayborhood down. The Castro is not as young as she once was, when Harvey Milk and Sylvester ran down its streets,… Read more »
We’re counting down the top ten US Gayborhoods, according to Out Traveler. The fourth place finisher is in Atlanta: 4. Midtown (Atlanta), with 10.68 percent of the vote A Southern city in the top five? Indeed. Atlanta’s colorful community continues to grow and influence gay culture at large (heels on men, anyone?), with Midtown serving… Read more »
We’re counting down the top ten US Gayborhoods, according to Out Traveler. The fifth place finisher is in Manhattran: 5. Hell’s Kitchen (New York City), with 7.74 percent of the vote The restaurants! The bars! The boys! New York is such a mecca it can now claim several gayborhoods (and hasbeen ‘hoods). We don’t love… Read more »
We’re counting down the top ten US Gayborhoods, according to Out Traveler. The sixth place finisher is in Fort Lauderdale: 6. Wilton Manors (Fort Lauderdale), with 7.45 percent of the vote We can almost forgive wonderful Wilton Manors for being located in Florida, and it looks like our readers can as well. Maybe it can… Read more »
We’re counting down the top ten US Gayborhoods, according to Out Traveler. The seventh place finisher is in West Hollywood: 7. Boystown (West Hollywood/Los Angeles), with 6.88 percent of the vote. Hmmm, WeHo didn’t do so hot this year. Guess Lisa Vanderpump’s shiny new restaurant/bar didn’t impress you all that much. WeHo’s waxed/manicured inhabitants will… Read more »
We’re counting down the top ten US Gayborhoods, according to Out Traveler. The tenth place finisher is in Philadelphia: 8. Capitol Hill (Seattle), with 6.56 percent of the vote Seattle’s queer neighborhood may not have cracked the top five, but many of us know how lovely it is. We say give it a few more… Read more »
Homes for Sale in Wilton Manors have not only seen an increase in demand and price, but fully renovated homes are popping up on the market across the entire city.  Investors and individuals have taken interest in buying left over foreclosure or traditional sales and renovating them.  Homes on the intracoastal in Wilton Manors… Read more »
We’re counting down the top ten US Gayborhoods, according to Out Traveler. The tenth place finisher is in Philadelphia: 9. Dupont Circle (Washington, D.C.), with 4.62 percent of the vote Washington has been declared the gayest city in the country by everyone and their gay brother. Its center of LGBT life has a bit of… Read more »
We’re counting down the top ten US Gayborhoods, according to Out Traveler. The tenth place finisher is in Philadelphia: 10. Washington Square West (Philadelphia), with 4.35 percent of the vote Philly’s compact and walkable gay village has changed names as often as a drag queen swaps wigs; maybe that’s why it scored so low this… Read more »
Hamburger Mary’s will be returning to San Francisco, the city where the burger chain was launched in 1972. While the original location shuttered in 2001, gay Castro bar owner Les Natali won approval this afternoon (Thursday, December 4) from the city’s planning commission to operate a Hamburger Mary’s in the long vacant Patio Cafe on… Read more »
If you have been looking for a place to buy in Fort Lauderdale, Florida we would certainly recommend adding Coral Ridge to your list of communities to check out.  Coral Ridge is located East of Federal Highway, South of Lauderdale By the Sea, and just Northeast of Wilton Manors.  The community is known for its… Read more »
Philadelphia’s Westbury bar, which was first advertised in gay guides back in the early 60s, has closed after last month’s fire in the hotel above it. From their Facebook page: With a very broken heart, I have to announce, the Westbury Bar and Restaurant will not be reopening. Our extensive efforts trying get an exception… Read more »
A crumbling old Hudson River pier once used by ocean liners like the Lusitania will be torn down and replaced by a 2.7 acre park on the water featuring rolling hills and an outdoor amphitheater. Mayor de Blasio is expected to reveal further details about the park at a press conference this morning, but the… Read more »
Two prominent blocks in Hillcrest are up for sale to the highest bidders, and the purchasers will have the ability to transform the heart of the gayborhood. In September, a 25,000-square-foot property that includes the shuttered Pernicano’s and Casa de Baffi restaurants went on sale for $12 million. The site is on the west side… Read more »
Today, many real estate conversations center on housing prices and where they may be headed. That is why we like the Home Price Expectation Survey. Every quarter, Pulsenomics surveys a nationwide panel of over one hundred economists, real estate experts and investment & market strategists about where prices are headed over the next five years. They then average… Read more »
Have you been contemplating a move to South Florida, specifically Wilton Manors, Florida?  This great little city of around 12,000 people and only 1.94 sq miles is full of activity.  The city has a fantastic walking score as you can literally start on Wilton Drive and work your way around the city.  Wilton Manors, second… Read more »
We’re in the midst of voting for this year’s Out Traveler Awards, but we saved the most controversial category for last: best gayborhood. We have ownership in the neighborhoods we consider our own; those places we can let our hair down and be ourselves. But what really makes the best LGBT neighborhood? Is it restaurants,… Read more »
The proposal to install rainbow colored crosswalks on Bettie Naylor Street at the Lavaca and Colorado intersections entered one of its final stages – but not without some friction from local business owners. Passed by City Council on Sept. 25, the plan would cement the area as a historic Austin “gayborhood” and showcase the City’s… Read more »
Taken from my story in the Statesman: “You might have heard that Austin could soon join San Francisco, Vancouver, British Columbia, and other cities with a set of rainbow crosswalks. At first, some business owners in the Warehouse District frowned on the idea, put forth by Austin Pride, to paint the intersection of West Fourth… Read more »
Umpqua Bank is proposing to open a Castro branch in the space that now houses Magnet, the gay men’s health clinic, but faces opposition from those who question the need for another financial institution in the heart of the city’s Castro gayborhood. In early 2015 Magnet is expected to relocate around the corner from its… Read more »
Hillcrest’s most iconic gay restaurant and bar – Urban MO’s Bar & Grill – is now undergoing significant expansions this month to debut for the 2014-15 winter season. The outdoor patio has been demolished in preparation for an extensive expansion and renovation. The property will remain open for business during the expansions, which started this… Read more »
October 2014 was a great month for Wilton Manors, Florida.  Not only did it involve some great Halloween Parties, along with some amazing drag shows, singers and DJ visits, the real estate side of things was pretty active. Wilton Manors currently has 79 Current Single Family Homes on the market starting at $109,000 heading up… Read more »
Today the official closure of Harvey Milk’s American Diner was announced. The online announcement, by owner Frank Lechner, stated that the diner was officially closed for good and that all the employees had been paid. LGBT Weekly reached out to Lechner for comment but he was unavailable at press time. LGBT Weekly did speak with… Read more »
You guys, the temps are starting to drop as fast as crimson and golden leaves from trees, so it’s high time to daydream about sand beaches, sunny skies, and fruity cocktails. We already talked about how hot the city of Fort Lauderdale is for the average sun seeker, but more and more it’s overtaking Miami… Read more »
5 Reasons You Shouldn’t For Sale By Owner 4 NOV 2014 · BY NANCY MOELLER  Some homeowners may consider trying to sell their home on without the assistance of a real estate professional, known in the industry as a For Sale by Owner (FSBO). We think there are several reasons this might not be a… Read more »
Announcing the First 2014 Fort Lauderdale, Florida Gay Days!!! November 25 – December 1, 2014 the W Fort Lauderdale will be overrun by Gays from across the world that are here to bask in the sun and enjoy everything that Fort Lauderdale has to offer. The event will have out of this world pool parties,… Read more »
Do you need help understanding the mortgage process? Don’t hesitate to contact us for any and all advice. For more information on Real Estate, like us on Facebook! Todd Moeller Seven Gables Real Estate 5481 E Santa Ana Canyon Road Anaheim Hills, CA 92807 [email protected] (714) 404-9540 BRE#: #01762788
A proposed Hamburger Mary’s franchise in the Castro will go before San Francisco’s planning commission in early December, according to the project sponsor. In response to a question from the Bay Area Reporter, Les Natali, who is seeking permits to open a location of the fast casual chain at 531 Castro Street, said over the… Read more »
A wrecking crew tore down a house in the SoHiP (South of Highland Park) neighborhood in Oak Lawn this week. While the neighborhood does have one of Oak Lawn’s few neighborhood associations, no buildings in the area are protected with landmark designation. This house was on Bowser Avenue, one door down from Douglas Avenue. Combined… Read more »
When a buyer walks into your home you need to grab their attention. Sadly it is rare to find a buyer that will give a home a second chance when deciding if they should make an offer or not, first impressions last a life time. We all have different styles that fit our personalities and… Read more »
Welcome back to Ask a Homo, a judgment-free zone where the gays of Outward answer questions about LGBTQ politics, culture, etiquette, language, and other queer conundrums. In this edition we ponder the fate of the “gayborhood,” that area in most major cities that has traditionally catered to and been called home by a high concentration… Read more »
OK, this is one of the coolest Gayborhood posts we’ve seen in awhile – the Castro from the air, by drone. Enjoy! Via Joe.My.God
Some cities talk about Halloween, others know how to rock Halloween!  Wilton Manors, Florida known for its diverse culture and #2 city in the US for gay couple population puts on an annual Halloween Party that is sure to impress.  Wilton Drive, the main drag (no pun intended), shuts down and the party starts at… Read more »
The definition of a Luxury Home in Fort Lauderdale isn’t the same for everyone. Initially you think of a Luxury Home as one that has soaring ceilings, large windows, possible water views,and top of the line finishes. While all of this is pertinent when buying a home it doesn’t mean that the home you buy isn’t luxurious… Read more »
Hey there, queermosexuals! If the number of housewarming parties in the past month or so is any indication, it’s time to upgrade your place of residence. While every neighborhood in the city has its perks and downsides (lots of sex shops but no street food, or plenty of cute boutiques but no eye candy —… Read more »
News that FHA will eliminate a prepayment penalty starting next year has been widely reported. It’s a move NAR has been seeking for some time because it will relieve borrowers of a financial hit that’s entirely out of their control and also bring the agency’s policies in line with other federal agencies that backstop mortgages. Perhaps most importantly, it… Read more »
A series of historical factoids about San Francisco’s Castro district that will be etched in cement along Castro Street will have its official debut the weekend of this year’s annual Castro Street Fair. Officially known as the Castro Street History Walk, the project will feature 20 facts about the neighborhood placed into the sidewalks on… Read more »
The recent caffeinization of the Castro district shows no signs of reaching the bottom of the pot, with homegrown Philz Coffee the latest to brew up plans for a new location in the city’s gayborhood. Founded in the city’s Mission District in 2003 by Phil Jaber, the company opened its second outlet a year later… Read more »
What is happening to the ‘gayborhood?’ Discussions of the evolving nature of the gay “community” and fast disassembling “gayborhood” clusters here and in cities across the country are as commonplace as yet another report detailing how expensive D.C. has somewhat suddenly become. An announcement this week by the Bureau of Labor Statistics identifying Washington as… Read more »
Meet Joseph. He’s concerned about climate change, and wants the upcoming UN Climate Summit in NYC to be successful. So he decided to visit “climate change ground zero.” You know, Fire Island. Because besides being the stuff that gay dreams are made of (which can quickly turn into gay regret), it’s also a “low-lying sandbar… Read more »
Mike Prevatt extolls the virtues of Las vegas Pride, one of the few times the city’s LGBT community really gets together to hang out: But seriously, Las Vegas Prideâ€â€I’m referring specifically to the parade, just one of several events during the weeklong celebrationâ€â€is nonetheless a worthwhile activity for a few reasons: It’s one of the… Read more »
We have a couple new stories out of the Castro gayborhood today. First, an update on the new sidewalk project that’s been going on for months. The BAR reports: More delays are impacting the $4 million sidewalk-widening project in the heart of the city’s gay Castro district, meaning work will not be completed prior to… Read more »
If you’re new to home ownership, you may not be familiar with all of the responsibilities that are now yours. All of those things you used to call the super or management office for now fall in your lap. Here are some items to keep in mind, especially if you got a “great deal†on… Read more »
At one of the oldest LGBT bars in Montrose, the regulars were sharing a laugh over what they had seen the night before: a group of straight women celebrating a bachelorette party. Do we call this a sign of progress, or is this our doom as Non- LGBT people move into the ‘Gayborhood’ as they… Read more »
At one of the oldest gay taverns in the city’s Boystown neighborhood, the regulars were sharing a laugh over what they had seen the night before at their watering hole: a gaggle of straight women. “It was like they were at a gay museum,” joked James Davies, 61, who has been a regular at Little… Read more »
The nation’s oldest gay bookstore will reopen next month in Philadelphia after closing three months ago due to financial problems. Philly AIDS Thrift says it’s taking over the shop called Giovanni’s Room. It had closed in May after 41 years, citing competition from online outlets. Philly AIDS Thrift already operates a secondhand store whose proceeds… Read more »