07-03-2025
Pittsburgh's Historic Review Commission makes no recommendation for Donny's Place in Polish Hill
Pittsburgh's Historic Review Commission has decided to make no recommendation on the fate of Donny's Place as efforts are ongoing to have the former gay bar designated as 'historic.'
Donny's Place in Polish Hill was the hub of LGBTQ life in the city from 1973 to its closure in 2022. If the designation goes through, it would be the first queer history landmark in western Pennsylvania.
The founder of Donny's Place, Donald Thinnes, a Vietnam veteran, bought the building in 1973 and made it a safe haven for LGBTQ people, even offering life-saving HIV/AIDS testing.
Over the years, the bar had numerous names, including Leather Central. But it was more than a nightclub. It also functioned as a community center, hosting fundraisers, memorials and spaghetti dinners.
A public hearing was held this week and there wasn't enough support to either approve or deny the recommendation.
The people who have nominated Donny's to be designated as historic are accused of using the nomination to stop the building of proposed townhouses.
The nomination will now go before the city's planning commission and eventually city council.
