WILLIAM WAY LGBT COMMUNITY CENTER TO RELOCATE IN 2025 AS PART OF STRATEGIC VISION FOR ACCESSIBILITY, SUSTAINABILITY, AND GROWTH

PHILADELPHIA, PA (June 5, 2025) — The William Way LGBT Community Center (WWCC) today announced that it is listing its longtime home at 1315 Spruce Street for sale, initiating the next chapter in its nearly 50-year legacy of serving Philadelphia’s LGBTQIA+ community. The decision to relocate follows years of visioning, community input, and a strategic shift away from an earlier redevelopment plan. The goal now is to focus on the evolving needs of the Center and the people it serves.

In recent years, WWCC pursued a comprehensive redevelopment plan to renovate and expand the Spruce Street building, launching a Capital Campaign to support the effort. However, the campaign did not meet its fundraising goals. Additionally, in October 2024, the Center temporarily closed for additional inspections and emergency repairs to ensure the safety of the aging, pre-Civil War-era structure. While parts of the building reopened in January 2025 for limited use, it was determined that more than $3.5 million in immediate repairs would be needed before any broader redevelopment could proceed.

“Our community deserves a space that is not only safe and affirming, but fully accessible and equipped to support our future,” said Darius McLean, Chief Operating Officer at WWCC. “The decision to move was not made lightly. It reflects our commitment to delivering programs with dignity and excellence, for today and future generations.”

Founded in 1975 as the Gay Community Center of Philadelphia, WWCC opened its first location in 1976 and, after decades of resilience across several homes, from Kater Street to Camac to Quince, moved into 1315 Spruce Street in 1996. The current building, formerly the Engineers’ Club of Philadelphia, was purchased and named in honor of William “Bill” Way, a longtime LGBTQ+ activist and city planner who helped sustain the Center through the 1980s. To learn more about the building's history, please click HERE.

Since its founding, the Center has served as a sanctuary, a meeting place, and a vital resource for queer Philadelphians. Over 15,000 people engage with WWCC annually through three core program pillars: arts and culture, empowerment, and community connection.

Signature services, including peer counseling, recovery support, food distribution, archives, exhibitions, and trans and elder programming, will continue throughout the transition. Virtual and hybrid formats, developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, will remain key to ensuring accessibility and national reach.

"The heart of William Way has never been its walls—it’s the people, the programs, and the unwavering commitment to creating a space where LGBTQIA+ individuals are seen, valued, and safe,” said Dave Huting, Board Co-chair at WWCC. “That will never change.”

The Center began 2025 operating at limited hours due to reductions in general operating support and necessary staff cutbacks. “Our team, many of whom have taken pay reductions, remains deeply committed to keeping our doors open, even on a reduced schedule, until we can secure a more permanent solution”, said McLean.

The WWCC Board of Directors is now actively exploring all viable options, including a potential redevelopment of the Spruce Street site or sale of the property. Either path would enable the WWCC to ensure a financially sustainable, physically accessible, and programmatically aligned model focused on community needs.

WWCC acknowledges that this transition comes at a time of increased threats to LGBTQIA+ rights and visibility nationwide. The decision to relocate is grounded not in retreat, but in vision. “We are not leaving our community, we are growing with it,” said Laura Ryan, Board Co-chair at WWCC. “Now more than ever, Philadelphia needs spaces like William Way. And we’re here to ensure those spaces continue to exist.”

As the William Way LGBT Community Center prepares for this next chapter, community support is more vital than ever. Your donations help sustain core programs, expand access, and ensure that the Center continues to serve as a safe, affirming space for thousands. Whether it’s a one-time gift, monthly contribution, or event sponsorship, every dollar directly supports our mission. To donate, volunteer, or learn more about how you can help build the future of William Way, please visit www.waygay.org/donate.