Panel studies sites for gay business district(they want a 'hate-free-hand-holding-zone')

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Panel studies sites for gay business district(they want a 'hate-free-hand-holding-zone')

Posted: 8/13/2005 1:08:44 AM EDT

Panel studies sites for gay business district
Group hopes to work with city in choosing 'hate-free zone'
Jennifer Sudick
Staff writer
August 11, 2005
www.spokesmanreview.com/business/story.asp?ID=84460
A committee charged with laying the blueprint for a proposed gay business district in Spokane has identified possible locations for the district and hopes to meet with the city council by the end of the year to solidify plans.

Leaders of a dozen-member subcommittee of the Inland Northwest Business Alliance, a nonprofit lesbian and gay business organization, said Browne's Addition, East Sprague and North Monroe/West Broadway are its top picks for the location of the district. The committee, which has been working on the plan for more than a year, said at a meeting Wednesday that affordable housing, room to grow and easy access to parks, bus routes, churches and schools are some of the criteria they considered.

"We don't want to go out there and pick anything," said Marvin Reguindin, co-coordinator of the committee. "We want to be smart."

The committee estimates that 5 percent to 10 percent of Spokane's population is gay, or about 10,000 to 20,000 people, a report handed out to members of the INBA said.

Reguindin said the purpose of creating a gay business district, or "hate-free zone," is to provide a supportive place where people will be comfortable being gay.

"It can look like those districts that are already established," he said. "It would just be more gay."

Said committee co-coordinator Bonnie Aspen, "We need to have a place where we can hold hands and have it be OK."

Reguindin said the INBA would try to work with the city to bring new businesses and residents to whatever district is chosen. He said development would look similar to that of the burgeoning University District; businesses gradually would locate there to serve a select community.

"There could be people in city government who aren't thrilled with this," he said. "But once you start talking about it, I think it is pretty hard to go against economic development."

Aspen said investors will make the final decision about the location of the district. The volunteer committee itself has no money for development and is seeking investors for the project. She said it's too early to estimate how much money will be needed. In five years, however, Aspen said she hopes to see anchor businesses settle in, allowing for growth of the district.

"Not all the businesses will be gay-owned, but they will be aligned with creating a vibrant business area," she said.

Aspen said the group hasn't formally approached the city yet because of a need for further research.

"We really haven't wanted to put the city in a position to fight," she said. "We want to use existing resources, and not have it be special treatment for the gay folks."

Reguindin said the committee's next steps are to attend neighborhood council meetings to get a better feel for potential district sites, and also to expand the number of businesses and developers committed to the project.

"There certainly are numbers of people who want to support a gay business district if we want to establish one," he said. "We are not re-creating the wheel. We hope we can find an area that works with the city."

Posted: 8/13/2005 1:09:23 AM EDT

[#1]

How gay! :)

Posted: 8/13/2005 1:25:28 AM EDT

[#2]

I say give them their "hate free zone", in France that is!

Posted: 8/13/2005 1:36:43 AM EDT

[#3]

Well, why don't we have them do a "black district" and then a "brown district" and then an "Asian district" and after that why not a "woman's district"?

Hey, we want everyone to feel "included"... the fact that "inclusion" means "separate areas" doesn't seem to trigger the irony indicator with any of these asscrickets.

Does the term "segregation" mean anything to anyone?

Posted: 8/13/2005 2:03:59 AM EDT

[#4]

They'll have a sign at the entrances: "Leave your intolerance as you step into our gay little world! Welcome!"

That will work just as well as "gun-free school zones" work. Oops!

Posted: 8/13/2005 2:04:38 AM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
Does the term "segregation" mean anything to anyone?

Only when white people want their own special club/place/group/recognition/whatever.

Posted: 8/13/2005 2:06:43 AM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Does the term "segregation" mean anything to anyone?

Only when white people want their own special club/place/group/recognition/whatever.

Would it be illegal to create a liberal-free-zone?

Posted: 8/13/2005 2:09:02 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Does the term "segregation" mean anything to anyone?

Only when white people want their own special club/place/group/recognition/whatever.

Would it be illegal to create a liberal-free-zone?

Depends, are liberals minorities?

Posted: 8/13/2005 2:11:15 AM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Does the term "segregation" mean anything to anyone?

Only when white people want their own special club/place/group/recognition/whatever.

Would it be illegal to create a liberal-free-zone?

Depends, are liberals minorities?

Not in Kommiefornia

Posted: 8/13/2005 2:13:31 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Depends, are liberals minorities?

Not in Kommiefornia

Zing

Depends on the area, though.

Posted: 8/13/2005 2:13:44 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Does the term "segregation" mean anything to anyone?

Only when white people want their own special club/place/group/recognition/whatever.

Would it be illegal to create a liberal-free-zone?

Depends, are liberals minorities?

Not concerned about their color, just want like minded folk
you know........like the aclu, naacp, la raza only want like minded folk around

Armstrong Williams, Thomas Sowell and Larry Elder would all be welcome
susan estrich, hillary clinton and helen thomas wouldn't be welcome

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Panel studies sites for gay business district(they want a 'hate-free-hand-holding-zone')

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