June 05, 2025
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The William Way LGBT Community Center announced Thursday that it would sell its 1315 Spruce St. location.
One of Philadelphia's premier LGBTQ+ resource facilities announced Thursday that it will be selling its Center City headquarters.
Spokespeople said the decision to list the William Way LGBT Community Center — which has been operating out of its 1315 Spruce St. location since 1996 — was not made lightly, citing rising repair costs and insufficient capital campaign fundraising efforts.
WWCC had been planning a broad redevelopment effort on its site, but inspections into the pre-Civil War-era building found that over $3.5 million in immediate repairs would be required before the center could invest in any renovation efforts.
This year, the facility began operating under limited hours, making staff cutbacks and reducing salaries. A fundraising effort to support the next step in the center's future reportedly fell short of its goal.
The community center helps over 15,000 people every year with services such as peer counseling, recovery support, food distribution, exhibitions and other programming, which the center vows to continue as it transitions. Spokespeople said that hybrid and virtual programming will be key to ensuring the accessibility of its programs.
The WWCC board of directors are actively exploring options to move, which would mark the seventh home it's had in its 50-year history. Between 1984 and 1988, the center had no physical location but continued to sponsor various events in the city.
"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," WWCC board co-chair Dave Huting said in a statement. "That will never change."
