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Center on Halsted is the Midwest's most comprehensive community center dedicated to advancing community and securing the health and well-being of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) people of Chicagoland. 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 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
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. 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 LGBTQ 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 in the building with two levels of underground parking at Center on Halsted (note, parking is exclusively for Whole Foods customers). Free wi-fi access is available throughout the building including 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 us advance the LGBTQ community. We hope to see you at the Center soon!
Center on Halsted, in compliance with the City of Chicago public health order effective February 28, 2022, no longer requires proof of COVID-19 vaccination for those gathering in our ground-floor lobby area or participating in Open Gym.
Masks will continue to be required for those participating in the Center's free HIV testing program, per the City's medical services mask mandate.
We continue to encourage all in our facility to practice the following risk reduction behaviors:
- Maintain appropriate social distancing of at least six feet whenever possible.
- Avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.
- Regularly and thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Carefully monitor your health, including for symptoms of COVID-19 (i.e., fever, cough, chills, respiratory issues, loss of taste or smell)
- Please stay home if you are not feeling well or have a temperature above 100.4. (The Center has a temperature kiosk you may use on the second floor of the building, next to the elevator bay.)
Center on Halsted provides masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer to all in need.
Center on Halsted complies with Federal regulations surrounding patient privacy and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Clients who engage in clinical services may rest assured that their private health information is secure. Please review Center on Halsted's Privacy Practices that describes how the Center may use and disclose your Protected Health Information (PHI) in accordance with applicable law. It also describes your rights regarding how you may gain access to and control your PHI.
Center on Halsted is a catalyst advocating for racial equity for all LGBTQ individuals, allies, and their intersectional identities. With our partners we fight racism, bias, and hate. We commit to take intentional action, remain humble, defend equitable policy-making, and seek accountability in the collective effort to foster resilient communities.
Center on Halsted welcomes, affirms and celebrates diversity in all its forms. Every member of staff and patron is bound by a Code of Conduct to respect and honor the dignity of every person in the Center. We require adherence to those principles from Center patrons and visitors alike. Please take a moment to review our Code of Conduct and Operations Plan by clicking on the following links.
Click here to view our In-Center Commitments.
Click here to view our Operations Plan.
Center on Halsted's deep commitment to supporting the LGBTQ community is reflected in both the mission and vision of the organization.
Center on Halsted advances community and secures the health and well-being of the LGBTQ people of Chicagoland.
A thriving lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community, living powerfully in supportive inclusive environments.
Opened in 2007, Center on Halsted's home is a testament to the growing strength and diversity of the LGBTQ 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 LGBTQ organizations to come together to collaborate, grow and share resources. A intentionally visible symbol of LGBTQ 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, all designed to be ADA compliant.
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 LGBTQ people will no longer reside behind a curtain but will be visible for the world to see. A set of doors remains open between Whole Foods 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 advancing 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.
The Center developed one of Chicago's first experimental rainwater harvesting systems. Rainwater was captured and recycled using the natural filtering powers of specific plants and topsoil found in our rooftop garden. After natural filtration, the water was stored in the basement, chlorinated, and then reused 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.
As part of our vision of providing supporting and inclusive environments, our restrooms are open to everyone regardless of gender. Everyone should be able
to use the restroom of their choice, free of abuse and harassment of any kind.
We ask you to support us in keeping this space safe and accessible for everyone.
To learn more about how you can join Center on Halsted's journey, Get Involved and Contact Us.
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