City of Long Beach to Unveil Conceptual Design for New LGBTQ+ Cultural District
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Above: The area designated for the City of Long Beach's LGBTQ+ Cultural District has long been home to LGBTQ+-owned businesses, organizations, and community spaces that have played a vital role in advocacy and cultural expression throughout the city.

Long Beach, CA – The City of Long Beach invites community members to attend a special community event on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. at Bixby Park as City leaders unveil conceptual design renderings for the future LGBTQ+ Cultural District, a transformative project that will enhance the Broadway corridor, between Alamitos and Temple Avenues, and celebrate the history, culture and contributions of Long Beach's LGBTQ+ community. The community event was previously announced on social media.

"The LGBTQ+ Cultural District project represents an important investment in the people, history and businesses that have helped shaped Long Beach into the inclusive city it is today," said Mayor Rex Richardson. "This project will create a vibrant destination that honors the legacy of our LGBTQ+ community while supporting local businesses, attracting visitors and strengthening one of Long Beach's most culturally significant corridors."

This project will advance implementation of priority improvements identified through the LGBTQ+ Cultural District Strategic Improvement Plan (SIP), which was developed through an extensive community visioning process led by the Community Development Department in collaboration with PlaceWorks via surveys, community workshops and business-owner specific workshops. The SIP was formally received and filed by the Long Beach City Council in May 2024, and the project is now being implemented by the Department of Public Works.

The first phase of work will focus on improvements to the Broadway corridor between Hermosa and Junipero Avenues due to its close proximity to the beach and Bixby Park, a key community and activity hub, as well as the location of the annual Long Beach Pride Parade. The initial improvements will install color-changing cross-street festoon lighting, pole wraps and banners, public art and a Pride Plaza to establish a sense of place honoring the LGBTQ+ community. Grant and other funding opportunities will be sought to plant street trees, where feasible, along the corridor, which will provide shade, improve the visual identity and characteristics of the corridor. Additional amenities may be incorporated as resources become available. Additional improvements identified in the SIP include utility box wrap art, tree and facade uplighting and additional decorative crosswalks, among other items.

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"The Broadway corridor has long served as a gathering place, safe haven and cultural center for Long Beach's LGBTQ+ community," said Second District Councilwoman Cindy Allen. "These proposed improvements honor the generations of advocates, business owners, artists and residents who helped build this community while ensuring their stories and contributions remain visible and celebrated for years to come."

The project area encompasses a corridor that has historically been home to LGBTQ+ owned businesses, organizations and spaces that have played an important role in advocacy and cultural expression in Long Beach. Community input helped shape the vision for the district and expand its boundaries to include the area between Alamitos and Temple Avenues.

"This project demonstrates how thoughtful public infrastructure investments can enhance the neighborhood identity, improve the public realm, and create welcoming spaces that foster community connection," said Public Works Director Joshua Hickman. "The proposed improvements will make the corridor more vibrant and inviting while supporting long-term economic vitality and community pride."

The LGBTQ+ Cultural District project has been advanced with the help of $850,000 in federal earmark funding secured by Congressman Robert Garcia, who first championed the creation of the district during his tenure as Mayor of Long Beach. In 2022, then-Mayor Garcia and Councilwoman Cindy Allen brought forward a recommendation directing City staff to collaborate with community stakeholders to develop a vision and feasibility plan for the district.

"This project has been years in the making and I'm so proud to have seen it through from vision to reality. When we first worked to establish Long Beach's first LGBTQ+ Cultural District, we knew that investing in the Broadway corridor would be critical to preserving and celebrating the community that has helped shape our city," said Congressman Garcia. "These improvements will make the district more vibrant and welcoming for residents, businesses and visitors for years to come. I'm honored to have helped conceptualize the idea and secure the federal funding that made this important investment possible."

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In addition to the unveiling of the conceptual designs on June 17, attendees will have the opportunity to connect with City departments that will be onsite sharing information about programs, services and resources available to residents.

The LGBTQ+ Cultural District project is included in the Elevate '28 Infrastructure Investment Plan, which has grown to over $1 billion in funding for nearly 200 projects throughout Long Beach. More information about the historic investment in infrastructure currently underway is available at lbelevate28.com.

For more information and to sign up for project updates, visit lbcity.info/lgbtqdistrict.

About the City of Long Beach

Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture, and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, the award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube. For more information about the Department of Public Works visit longbeach.gov/pw and follow @lbpublicworks on Facebook, X and Instagram.

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