After years of bouncing around downtown, operating out of storage units, and searching for a sustainable lease agreement, the LGBT Center of Raleigh finally has a new home.
The 3,000-square foot community center on Cabarrus Street is a cozy, comfortable space, inviting you to sit and stay a while—perhaps curled up with one of the 5,000 or so LGBTQ+-focused books that line the walls, or tucked into one of the two private nooks around back.
“One of the things we’ve recognized is that not everybody feels like the LGBT Center is a place for them, even if they are part of the community,” executive director Kori Hennessey told the INDY.
Many view the center as a resource for people in crisis, Hennessey added—for those who need food, housing, or help navigating government aid programs. And while the center does provide that, “we also want to bring back the element of just having a nice, fun space to be in,” they said. “Creating that sense that this is a space for everyone.”
We caught up with Hennessey at the center’s official ribbon cutting on December 10. The new and improved building isn’t just a refuge from the icy December cold, but also the chilly political environment. Since Trump took office again in January, anti-trans rhetoric has heated up and new policies have targeted LGBTQ-affirming programs and resources. The center offers a truly safe space where LGBTQ+ folks can express themselves and connect with others, without fear of personal or professional repercussions.
Past the lounge and library—one of the largest LGBTQ+ book collections in the Southeast, which includes a children’s section—is a small “cyber center” with desktops. People can use them for anything they might need, whether that’s applying for jobs or connecting with family and friends, Hennessey said during a media tour of the center.
Tucked against the wall is a “harm reduction kiosk,” a vending machine that dispenses critical resources like emergency contraceptives and Narcan instead of salty snacks. Although these and other items, such as deodorant, are available elsewhere, the center offers them free of cost and judgement.
Around the back, staff are still building up the center’s food pantry with shelf-stable items. They’re also working to add more garments to the free clothing closet, which includes “gender-affirming items like chest binders and shapewear,” said Hennessey. Opposite the staff offices and conference room is a shelf full of grab-and-go care packages with items like soap and earplugs.
The center is still a work in progress, but in the heart of downtown, just a few blocks from Raleigh’s main bus station, it’s once again a visible part of the community.
Longtime Raleighites may remember the LGBT Center’s old building in the Warehouse District, on Harrington Street. Hennessey has fond memories of the space, which they worked in for five years before the owner sold the building.
“I am truly a product of the center,” they said during a short speech ahead of the ribbon cutting . “I came for the first time when I was questioning my identity and I needed community. I quickly started volunteering, and I was able to connect with people and started just coming out of my shell. I met some amazing, wonderful folks that are still part of my life.”
Since the Harrington Street site closed in 2018, the center has rented office space and held programs all over Raleigh. In 2020, when the COVID pandemic hit, the center moved to mostly virtual programming, slowly resuming in-person meetings in recent years.
“For about five years, people were like, ‘The center doesn’t exist anymore.’ They really thought we just disappeared,” Hennessey told the INDY.
Finding the Cabarrus Street site was “a huge relief,” they added. “I saw so much potential for this space and just more stability, which was something we’ve needed for a really long time.”
Going from leasing to opening was an arduous two-year journey, however. The historic building, which once served as a jukebox seller and later a record store (among other things) needed new floors, renovated bathrooms, updated plumbing and electrical, and a modern HVAC system.
“Realizing the amount of work that needed to be done to make it usable really quickly became overwhelming,” said Hennessey.
Fortunately, the center received significant support from the community, including a $300,000 donation from local contracting company Cooper Tacia. Now two years into a five-year lease, with options to renew, Hennessey said the center can expect to stay put until at least 2038.
And it feels like there’s a bright future ahead. There was plenty of pomp and circumstance as the center welcomed guests for the first time, but after the photo-ops ended and the speeches wrapped, community members piled into the lounge for a preview night party. Filled with laughter, conversation, and cheerful holiday music, the center quickly became the home Hennessey hoped for.
“I’m so grateful that there are so many people in this room that I know from different places and different walks of life,” they said during their speech. “Having community is one of the most important things that LGBTQ+ folks just really need.
The center is currently open for volunteering and appointments. It will be closed from December 22 – January 2 for the holidays. Drop-in hours, from 12-6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Saturdays, are expected to start in mid-January.
The center is currently seeking donations of shelf-stable foods and hygiene items. Monetary donations are also welcome. To give, or for more information, visit the LGBT Center of Raleigh’s website or email [email protected].
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