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A community survey conducted by OutFront Minnesota shows strong
support for a GLBT Center. OutFront Minnesota conducted the
survey through an online questionnaire earlier this year and learned the
following:
Survey Highlights
91% support the idea of a GLBT Center
72% are likely or somewhat likely to use or visit a GLBT Center
58% would definitely or probably support a GLBT Center
Elements of a Center
97% would like meeting rooms and offices for community organizations
95% would like multi-purpose rooms and welcome center for visitors
96% would like a drop-in crisis center
91% would like an incubator space for fledgling organizations, and a
library/media center
87% would like nursing or medical screening services
86% would like webcams and video for greater Minnesota access to events
75% would like a coffee house Leadership of the Project
76% think OutFront Minnesota is the right organization to lead such an
effort OutFront Minnesota is currently in discussions with Minneapolis
City Council Member Lisa Goodman about the possibility of developing a
GLBT Center on property known as the "meter farm" at 15th and Nicollet
Ave. South.
On June 19th, 2007, the Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic
Development Department submitted a favorable report to the city council
after studying the feasibility of a GLBT Center at the site. Much more
feasibility and other planning work is being done.
OutFront Minnesota conducted a survey recently within the GLBT
community on this issue and found most respondents favor OutFront
Minnesota being a lead organization in such an effort.
Because of the sensitive nature of the community center discussions,
we want to avoid interfering with the city's process by saying too much
too soon and too publicly. However, we wanted to keep our community
informed, to avoid speculation and rumor.
OutFront Minnesota is interested in creating a physical and social
space that can serve as a hub for our community, a place that has
already been created in many other parts of the country. Creation of
such a center has been a vision and a source of effort for OutFront
Minnesota for several years.
We are carefully considering all of the complex issues surrounding
the development of such a center and the ultimate decision about whether
to proceed will be based on a number of factors, most notably whether
the site would serve the best interests of our community, such as
physical location, and whether the building being considered would
provide the type of space our community desires (meeting rooms, social
space, technology infrastructure, etc.). In addition, the City of
Minneapolis would be the final decision-maker about whether OutFront
Minnesota would be chosen as an organization suitable to develop
property on this site.
On March 14th, the newspaper Finance and Commerce published an
article
on the larger discussions being held about the future of the property.
OutFront Minnesota will continue to communicate with our community
about this important issue. |
