|
|
|
 |
|
 |
Center on Halsted is the Midwest's most comprehensive community center dedicated to building and strengthening the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community. More than 1,000 community members visit the Center every day, located in the heart of Chicago's Lakeview Neighborhood.
We are open to the public every day from 8am to 10pm.
We work hard to provide a safe and welcoming environment with programs and services for the entire community. Our programs range from volleyball, dance performances and cooking classes to rapid HIV testing, group therapy and vocational training. In addition, we partner regularly with other organizations and groups from across Chicago and the nation to provide additional programming for the community.
Center on Halsted also serves as an incubator for a number of smaller LGBT non-profit organizations, called Resident Partners. We provide operational support, space and resources for organizations that may otherwise find it difficult to interact and grow.
In addition, there is a Whole Foods Market and two levels of underground parking at the Center. Free wi-fi access is available throughout the building including in our lobby, reading library and our rooftop terrace. We also offer meeting and reception space, with special discounts for non-profit community groups.
For more information, please check out our programs and events pages. And check out our get involved pages to find out how you can help build and strengthen the LGBT Community. We hope to see you at the Center soon!
Center on Halsted's deep commitment to building and strengthening the LGBT community is reflected in both the mission and vision of the organization.
In a safe and nurturing environment, Center on Halsted serves as a catalyst for the LGBT community that links and provides community resources, and enriches life experiences.
A Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender journey… celebrating, affirming and discovering possibilities.
Opened in 2007, Center on Halsted's home is a testament to the growing strength and diversity of the LGBT community. As an award-winning, integrative and forward-thinking design, it reminds visitors of our shared future together.
Designed by the global architecture firm Gensler, Center on Halsted was designed to enable Chicago's wide array of LGBT organizations to come together to collaborate, grow and share resources. A intentionally visible symbol of LGBT pride, the three-story, 175,000-square-foot complex houses an entertainment venue, a Whole Foods grocery store, a café, office space for resident partners, a technology center, a gymnasium, a theater, a public roof garden, an underground parking structure and a number of other unique gathering spaces.
Composed of the restored terra cotta and brick façade of a 1924 building wrapped by a new glass structure, Gensler's design creates a visible neighborhood presence for the community center. The historic façade serving as the visual indication of the retail space on the first floor, and the glass composition providing a clear identity for the Center itself.
"The diverse identities of the people who will be using this building inspired our design," Jason Longo, one of Gensler's architectural design directors, said during construction. "Expressions of transparency, color, pattern and historic elements reflect diversity while presenting a unified composition."
The unadorned clear glass façade exposes the inner workings of the Center, proclaiming boldly LGBT people will no longer reside a behind curtain but will be visible for the world to see. A set of doors remains open between grocery store and the Center's soaring lobby during working hours to further the Center's connection to the neighborhood.
Because the Center serves as a meeting place for diverse organizations and communities Gensler designed the interior around a central corridor that acts as a main street. The top floor of the three-story building includes a double-height space devoted to theater and other performances, while a similarly scaled volume contains a gymnasium with a basketball court that opens to the public roof garden.
Center on Halsted's dedication to building and strengthening the community includes creating a healthier, greener environment for all. With this in mind, our building was designed not only to be functional and aesthetically pleasing, but also environmentally conscientious.
We capture and recycle rain water using the natural filtering powers of specific plants and top soil found in our rooftop garden. After filtering the rainwater, we store it in the basement, chlorinate it and then reuse it as non-potable flushing water.
Our roofing consists of white material – instead of traditional tar – reducing the overall energy consumption of the building and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. Additional green design principles can be found inside the building including recycled carpeting throughout, 'fly ash' concrete and salvaged brick.
The building maximizes natural lighting and utilizes an automatically adjusting ventilation and lighting system designed to be used only when space is in use, decreasing our consumption of electricity.
In 2008, Center on Halsted became one of the first buildings in Chicago to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.
The Center's vision is to reflect "An LGBT journey…celebrating, affirming and discovering possibilities." Join us on this journey.
To learn more about how you can join Center on Halsted's journey, Get Involved and Contact Us.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Copyright © Center on Halsted | 3656 N. Halsted Street | Chicago, IL 60613 | 773.472.6469 |
