GLBT Historical Society to Open Exhibit in Castro
Coinciding with “Milk”
Space donated by WaMu – recent closure will not affect lease

By Jaime San Felippo

On Friday, Sept. 26, Washington Mutual (WaMu) was shut by the federal Office of Thrift Supervision with most assets sold to JPMorgan Chase including the lease to 499 Castro St. The former home to Ritz Camera, the space had been donated by WaMu to the GLBT Historical Society for one year.

Despite this upheaval, the GLBT Historical Society will still open a satellite exhibit on Nov. 26 to coincide with the opening of “Milk,” the Gus Van Sant film about
Harvey Milk.

“Nothing has changed as far as we’re concerned,” said a WaMu employee familiar with the negotiations who preferred to remain anonymous. “We’re still going ahead with the project.”

WaMu donated the 1,400 square foot retail space to the society for the period from Nov. 1, 2008, through Oct. 31, 2009, after facing neighborhood opposition to a planned banking branch in the location. Neighborhood associations opposed the plan because WaMu had already been approved to open a branch on 15th and Sanchez streets when they secured the lease to the Castro Street location.

The donation was based on a suggestion made by Supervisor Bevan Dufty, a long time champion for the society. He explained to WaMu executives that the society lacked the funding to find a permanent home in the neighborhood. The supervisor set up meetings with the society and the bank and finalized the deal on July 1.

In addition to the exhibit, there will also be two WaMu ATM’s installed on the Castro Street storefront. The amount of the donation is an estimated $200,000.

“This is a win-win situation for Washington Mutual and the GLBT Historical Society,” said Gary Kishner, a spokesman for WaMu. “We understood there was a need for the exhibit in the Castro District and through several meetings we figured it would be feasible for all parties to donate the space.”

According to Paul Boneberg, executive director of the GLBT Historical Society, the exhibit is entitled “Passionate Struggle” and will be divided into four sections: People, Places, Pleasures and Politics. Boneberg said that the society is still finalizing what will be included in the exhibit, but revealed that the premier issue of “The Ladder” – the nation’s first nationally distributed lesbian publication – will be featured along with the sewing machine used to make the first rainbow flag.

The exhibit was originally slated to open within a few days of the Oct. 28 world premiere of “Milk” at the Castro Theatre. But a misunderstanding set the society back when it was not clearly understood that a particular zoning permit required a 30-day notice and public hearing, causing the society to hold off all construction on the space until all required permits are obtained. In light of this setback the society was forced to push back the exhibit opening until the theatrical release of “Milk” on Nov. 26, one day before the thirty year anniversary of Milk’s assassination.

Boneberg said the release of “Milk” influenced the decision to create this exhibit. The society hopes the exhibit will draw tens of thousands of people to the Castro to learn about GLBT history.
“If it wasn’t for the film we would have had a different sense of urgency,” said Boneberg. “The film is the biggest promotion of the GLBT community and the Castro ever.”

The society has gathered and cataloged historic materials and made them accessible to the public for the last 23 years and has put on exhibitions for this last 10 years. This exhibit is a milestone for the small society, which has searched for a permanent home in the Castro for years.

Boneberg said lack of funding has made this goal unreachable. According to Boneberg, the society’s annual budget is $500,000 with $150,000 still needed to reach this year’s budget. The society depends a lot on donations and corporate sponsorships. He hopes that this exhibit will show community members and city officials that there is a need for the society in the historic neighborhood.

“This is the next step forward, the test case,” said Boneberg. “If we open this, people will come and prove what an asset we can be to the neighborhood. We would love to have an on going presence in the Castro.”

Supervisor Bevan Dufty helped raise money for the society, recently securing $35,000 from the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development. Additionally, it was announced at the October Merchants of Upper Market & Castro meeting that Levi’s has donated $50,000 to the exhibit as well.
Dufty stressed the need for an anchoring gay institution in the neighborhood and said that it is important for all people to have a sense of “GLBT struggles, challenges and heroic figures in our community.”

“There is a need for a world class museum about GLBT history,” said Dufty. “I think this [exhibit] is going to be a tremendous destination for people in San Francisco and from around the world.”
The Oct. 28 premiere of “Milk” will be a red carpet event with press from around the nation expected to attend. Parking will be restricted on Castro Street between 17th and 18th streets the day of the event.

For more information go to www.glbthistory.org.

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