February 23, 2015

Snow sits on top of bluestone pavers stacked in the garden. Those beautiful pieces of stone will become the new floor of the garden – as soon as we catch a break in the weather and can start excavating and laying bluestone. Once it starts, garden renovation will take about six weeks. Besides new paving, the garden will get new lighting, new planting beds, a new gate at the street, and two new vestibules, one to the main building and one to adult services.

Veterans of the last year-and-a-half of construction will not be surprised to learn that the garden work will be done in stages so that we can maintain access to adult services and youth services across the garden from the main building. A few more adventures in creative traffic flow await – and we thank you in advance for your patience.

Inside, we have one more project to go: installing new doors for meeting rooms and offices. The fire code requires that all our interior doors be made of steel. The new doors still have to be made of steel but they can have special, frosted, ceramic glass inserts that let them meet fire code without looking so cold and imposing.

Then comes the “punch list” phase, when all the minor flaws are tallied (the punch list) and corrected. In fact, punch list work is already underway in some areas.

Meanwhile, the new lobby is wowing ever more visitors, including email checkers in the David Bohnett Cyber Center and latte sippers in the Think Coffee café.

If you haven’t been to The Center in a while, please come for a visit. There is so much to see, including the exhibit entitled “Once Upon a Time and Now,” which includes historic works from the 1980s and new works on loan. And, yes, the Keith Haring mural is once again on view.

February 2, 2015

With this update, we are wrapping up interior renovations. Minor tweaks and fixes that get taken care of at the tail end of any construction project will continue for a while, and new doors to meeting rooms and offices are still being installed, but the disruptions to access and room availability necessitated by heavy construction are behind us. Rooms that were used for contractor storage have joined all the other rooms that are back in service. New directional and room signs are installed. And The Center is returning to normal operations in our beautiful, better-equipped home.

The most stunning change over the last month has occurred in the lobby. The information desk, the café counter and seating, the cyber center kiosks and computers, the decorative blackened steel, the lighting and the new front doors have all come together in recent weeks to transform the experience of walking into The Center.

What remains is outdoor work. Over the late winter and into early spring – as weather permits – the garden will be repaved with blue stone, new planters will be created, and a whole new lighting system will be installed. Plus there will be new vestibules built at the entrance from the garden into the main building and at the entrance to the Adult Services department. That work will come to fruition as the weather warms and we enter growing season.

As we look forward to the garden coming alive again, we can look back on the past 18 months with a sense of wonder. Look at all the changes we have made – and lived through. Imagine all the creativity and effort involved, from design to fundraising to construction to solving the day-to-day challenges of providing services and meeting space in the midst of construction. We are truly grateful for everyone’s support along the way.

December 16, 2014

We enter 2015 making plans to celebrate the completion of our renovation project after a year-and-a-half of major construction.

The interior work is nearly complete. What remain are additional items that we were fortunate to be able to add to the project because of the success of our capital campaign. They include replacing doors on meeting rooms and offices, adding acoustic panels in all meeting rooms and renovating the restrooms. All of that work will wrap up in January.

Outside work in the garden is underway, and will be completed in January, too—if the weather cooperates. In any event, the garden will bloom when spring arrives.

As we come to the close of this large project, we hope to find many ways to thank those who made it possible with their donations and hard work, and those who

dealt with the confusions and inconveniences of using a Center in the midst of construction.

Watch gaycenter.org for announcements about events throughout winter and spring as we “re-launch” our renovated Center.

November 21, 2014

We’re pushing toward the end of our project, though it might not always appear so. Activity is underway in the lobby and restrooms, with the elevator expected to return to service in early December. Exterior work in the garden will move forward dependent on weather, with plantings in the spring time.

Since the summer we have had to change the main entrance, and routes of travel inside the building, several times. Those adjustments will continue while the contractor finishes with the lobby, and moments of confusion are likely. Fortunately, our information and referral staff is always ready to steer us in the right direction.

This is the season to conclude with words of gratitude for all of the people who have made this project possible. How fortunate we are that elected officials were so generous in providing funding, that the staff and donors concluded a successful $2.5 million private capital campaign to pay for costs not covered by government grants, that the architects and contractors have put their hearts into making The Center shine, and that the operations staff and all the visitors to the building have weathered many fluctuations in room availability and access.

We have a lot to be thankful for this November. And we thank you for your continued patience.

October 17, 2014

As we enter the last couple of months of construction, activity is focused on four areas: the lobby, the garden, the restrooms and the elevator. Painting and other finish work is also underway throughout the building.

The next weeks will see portions of the lobby going in and out of service and work in the garden beginning. The designated entrance doors and the temporary desk for the information and referral staff will change a couple of times to accommodate staging the work, especially pouring the new terrazzo floor. The café counter, reception desk and new front doors are being fabricated off-site.

Like the lobby, the garden will be done in stages, so that people can get to Community Services and Youth Services. A section at a time, the concrete will be dug up and replaced with bluestone, and new planting beds and lighting will be installed. Also coming are a new entrance vestibule to Community Services, a new vestibule from the garden into the main building and a new steel gate at the street entrance.

Restroom renovation is proceeding two at a time in a way that keeps as many working restrooms available as possible. The new Italian tile is beautiful, but we expect that replacing paper towel dispensers with new electric hand dryers will be a crowd favorite.

Not so pleasant will be losing the use of the elevator for three weeks in late October and early November. Please watch our website for details. The good news is that the new cab and displays will be much more attractive and user-friendly.

During this last period of construction, getting around the building will continue to be an adventure, shall we say, and we appreciate everyone’s continued patience and good will.

September 22, 2014

It is heartening to know that we are much closer to the end of our renovation project than to the beginning. Nonetheless there is no mistaking that The Center remains a construction zone.

The lobby is completely closed off, the Lerner Auditorium on the third floor is in transformation and the former cyber center on the second floor is being converted into meeting rooms. Over the next couple of months, the elevator will be upgraded and the garden will be renovated. The lobby will go back into operation one section at a time. Toward the end of that process the cyber center will re-open at the east end of the expanded lobby and the new café will open at the west end.

Good news came in early September, when the project was expanded to include renovating all of the restrooms. This will be done along with the work already underway so that the overall schedule remains the same.

The project is progressing with very public work that will continue to challenge us to find clever ways to navigate the building and avoid construction areas. One of the biggest challenges will be losing the use of the elevator for three weeks.

That work is likely to occur from late October to early November, but the schedule has shifted in the past and may change again. Updates will be posted on our website.

The Center appreciates all those who are making the renovation possible, from donors to construction workers, and, as always, hats off to the staff and community members who are making the best of the unavoidable inconveniences of construction.

August 22, 2014

As we approach the Labor Day weekend, The Center renovation project comes that much closer to completion. We are looking at another couple of months of construction to get all the major work done. After that comes fine-tuning and touch-ups.

The lobby renovation is well underway. The space has been opened up and the new terrazzo flooring is being poured. The information desk, café counter and new front doors are being fabricated offsite. As soon as the east end of the lobby is far enough along that we can use it, the main entrance will move back to the front of the building and the garden will close for construction.

Work in various corridor areas continues. The elevator will be out of service for three weeks to renovate the cab and install new electronic controls and displays. The target date for installing the elevator improvements has been moved to late September. People with mobility issues are encouraged to check The Center’s website for notices about the elevator work.

Renovating the Lerner Auditorium on the third floor is not so disruptive to traffic, but is a big part of the current

work. A lot of progress has been made already—new wall surfaces, windows, air-conditioning ducts, movie screen—and the new floor and acoustic wall panels are about to be installed.

As always, The Center appreciates everyone’s forbearance with the inconveniences of construction, and we are heartened by the positive comments we receive on the work that has already been done.

July 18, 2014

As construction moves into the front spaces of the building – lobby and garden – it seems that the walls are closing in and even more work is happening than ever.

This final phase of the project will entail significant operational challenges. The main lobby has closed and the entrance to the building has moved to the garden, with a temporary information and referral space at the edge of the garden. The elevator will get its make-over starting in late August, which will mean no wheelchair access above the ground floor for about a month. As work progresses in the lobby, entrances and exits will be reconfigured, and the garden will be closed for its renovation. And upstairs, the third floor Lerner Auditorium is being renovated, and soon the wood corridor floor at the rear of the second floor will be replaced with terrazzo.

During this time, we strongly encourage people with accessibility concerns to check The Center website for announcements or call for updates.

Yes, there is significant work to do, but the good news is that we have less to do than we have already done. Much of the building is looking fantastic and many meeting rooms and offices are back in service. Over the next couple of months, the remaining major work will get finished and we’ll be talking about the finishing touches after all of the big, dramatic work is done.

The Center is very thankful to all the workers who are making these wonderful changes happen, and to everyone coming to work, to access services and to attend meetings and events, for bearing with a building literally in flux.

June 20, 2014

A year ago we were just getting started on our renovation. Today, we can look back on 12 months of solid work and substantial completion, and look forward to heading into the final months of construction.

Since last June, the contractor finished rooms 212, 312 and 412 in the West Wing, the library and archive in room 410. Rooms 207, 210, 302, 304, 305 and 310 are also complete, or will be over the next week. The tireless flooring crew laid new terrazzo floors in the second, third and fourth floor corridors and many tradespeople are working to finish the outstanding renovation of the Kaplan Assembly Hall (room 101) and room 110.

Now, focus shifts to the Lerner Auditorium (room 301), the lobby, the elevator and the garden. This may be the most challenging time for our visitors because of interruptions to elevator service and relocation of the lobby. Refurbishing the elevator is expected to take four weeks, starting around mid-August. We will accommodate groups and individuals with mobility limitations on the ground floor to the extent possible, but options will be few.

During this time, we strongly encourage people with accessibility concerns to check The Center website for announcements or call for updates.

Over the summer, the building entrance will shift to the garden gate, and the Information and Referral staff will move to temporary quarters overlooking the garden, so that the lobby can get its make-over. The lobby will re-open in stages while the garden is being re-paved and new planting beds and lighting are installed.

All the major work will wrap up later this fall, and life will return to normal with only finishing touches and details to be completed. In the meantime, we appreciate everyone’s forbearance and understanding as we come into the final stretch of our renovation adventure.

May 19, 2014

This June we turn another corner in our construction project. The Kaplan Assembly Hall and room 110, newly renovated, will come back into use, and construction in the third floor Lerner Auditorium will begin. The contractor will also start replacing stone tiles with terrazzo in the lobby and first floor corridors, and work on refurbishing the elevator.

Each transition moves us past some challenges and presents us with others. Over the last two months, replacing corridor floors on the second and third floors significantly reduced the number of available meeting rooms and changed traffic patterns. As the lobby is renovated, traffic patterns and room availability will shift in different ways: building entrances and exits will temporarily move and, without the elevator, only the first floor will be accessible for a number of weeks.

Even as we prepare for upcoming challenges, we want to acknowledge progress. The rooms in the west wing (212, 312 and 412) are done and used every day. The library and archive are up and running in their new space. The new terrazzo in the second- and third-floor corridors looks fantastic. And the renovated Kaplan Assembly Hall, nearing completion, is marvelous.

Through it all, we are fortunate to have caring and dedicated staff to manage all the comings and goings of groups, not to mention all of The Center users who have graciously adjusted to moving around inside the building and, in some cases, to relocating for a while to outside venues.

We have a lot to be thankful for, and proud of, as we go into Pride Month, including your patience and support.

April 23, 2014

Construction is moving—and moving around. The project’s contractor is coming up with ways to complete some work earlier than anticipated and we are all cooperating to manage operational challenges.

The biggest challenge of the moment is managing the impacts while stone tiles are replaced with terrazzo on all of the corridor floors. Meeting rooms and offices have to be vacated while that floor’s corridor is being re-surfaced. The third floor corridor is being done in April, the second floor in May, and the first floor corridor and lobby in June.

During this time, the number of available meeting rooms in the building is reduced and staff is being relocated to temporary office space. Corridor work also necessitates removing bulletin boards and vending machines.

Work in various meeting spaces is also proceeding. The Kaplan Assembly Hall (room 101) is expected to go back in service in late May, and the Lerner Auditorium on the third floor will start in June.

We are working closely with groups that have to relocate and meet at other venues during this process, and we greatly appreciate their patience and understanding.

As always, your patience and support is appreciated.

March 24, 2014

Progress and challenges are in store during the next months of construction.

In April, the Kaplan Assembly Hall, Room 110 and the catering kitchen will go back into service, transformed. At that point, attention will turn to the Lerner Auditorium on the third floor. Meanwhile, Rooms 210 and 310 have been renovated ahead of schedule, joining rooms 212, 312 and 412 in the “completed” category. The David Bohnett CyberCenter has moved into room 210 until its new home in the expanded lobby is completed. The east end of the lobby will be opened up with new steel beams and columns, matching the work already done at the west end.

The most challenging work will involve closing the third floor and then the second floor so that stone tiles in the corridors can be replaced with terrazzo. This will be messy and noisy at times.

Moreover, meeting rooms and offices will go in and out of service. Groups and staff will be relocated and The Center will not be able to accommodate some groups for a while. Those groups will receive advance notice and assistance in identifying temporary alternative meeting spaces.

As we encounter serious inconveniences, we appreciate everyone taking construction in stride with good will and good humor. Check back for updates.

• The lobby will be expanded and refurbished to create a more welcoming and user-friendly space, featuring a café, a revamped David Bohnett Cyber Center and new front doors.
• The Center's largest meeting spaces—the third-floor Lerner Auditorium and the ground-floor Kaplan Assembly Hall—will be renovated and outfitted with modernized audio/visual equipment, lighting and other capabilities, making them ideal for hosting special events.
• The elevator cab and controls will be upgraded.

• Our hidden garden will be repaved and feature seating and lighting to encourage conversation and connection, while a new street-facing gate will invite visitors.
• Public corridors and meeting rooms will be updated with new floors and lighting, and additional public meeting rooms will be added to the inventory of available space.
• The library will be relocated and updated, and house the Center archive.

Donate today to support the renovation!

A project of this magnitude impacts operations in big and small ways. Auditorium spaces will be unavailable for periods of time, other meeting rooms and offices will be inaccessible intermittently and the garden area will be closed. The main entrance will shift in response to lobby construction. Overall the disruptions will be temporary and the end result will be outstanding. Center staff will keep the community apprised of planning and progress by posting regular updates on this page.

Chair

• Mario Palumbo

Co-Chairs

• Tim Chow
• Julie Harris
• Keith Jacobson

For questions about meeting reservations or room changes, please email: meetingspace@gaycenter.org.

For information on supporting the project and major naming recognition, please contact Jeffrey Klein, Chief Development Officer at jklein@gaycenter.org.

For more information on construction and building operations, please contact Rob Wheeler, Chief Operating Officer, at rob@gaycenter.org.

For press inquiries, please contact Mary Steyer, Director of Communications, at msteyer@gaycenter.org.