4. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center
Now known simply as The Center, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center located at 208 West 13th Street in Greenwich Village was, and continues to be, an important non-profit space that supports the LGBTQ+ community. The building that house The Center was a schoolhouse constructed in 1844. Neglected and in need of a new purpose by the 1970s, it was decided that the derelict structure would be auctioned off to a non-profit. In 1983, the newly formed Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center was incorporated and acquired for $1.5 million.
The Center was founded at the height of the AIDS crisis and served as a safe place for members of the LGBTQ+ community to seek support. In 1988, the Center started an art program through which 50 artists were invited to create site-specific works. One of the most famous works created was a mural by Keith Haring. Located in the second-floor men’s room, the mural, titled Once Upon a Time, was completed just six months before Haring’s death. The Center underwent a major renovation in 2001 by the female-led firm of Françoise Bollack Architects and another renovation in 2014 by RSVP Architecture Studio and N-Plus Architecture and Design. The Haring mural survived the changes to the building and can still be seen today. Today the Center offers a variety of services including substance abuse treatment, HIV/AIDS support, career planning, family services, lectures, performances, and art shows. It was designated an individual New York City Landmark in 2019.