San Francisco approves leather-themed ‘Eagle Plaza’ in gay district
The Mayor of San Francisco has given official approval to plans for a leather-themed Eagle Plaza in the heart of the city’s gay district.
The city’s mayor London Breed signed a bill to approve the creation of the new plaza in San Francisco’s South of Market (SoMa) neighbourhood, after it received backing from the Board of Supervisors.
Leather flag will fly from top of San Francisco’s Eagle Plaza
The site of the plaza is outside the Eagle Bar, a historic gay venue associated with the leather subculture.
According to the mayor’s office, the space “will be designed to recognise the strong cultural influence of the local LGBTQ and leather communities”, with a leather pride flag “flying above the plaza.”
The plaza will be a “safe space for people of all ages to gather, relax, play, and celebrate,” with open areas to host “neighbourhood gatherings, events, and performances.”
Mayor Breed said: “Eagle Plaza will not only provide much-needed open space in Western SoMa, it will also recognise the cultural contributions of the LGBTQ and leather communities.
“I am excited that we are able to remove the roadblocks and finally get this exciting project to move forward.”
According to the Bay Area Reporter, construction of the plaza will be funded by a local development company in order to secure approval for redevelopment of an adjacent site.
San Francisco lawmakers: Eagle Plaza will honour LGBT leather community
San Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman said: “I’m glad to see Eagle Plaza finally moving forward.
“The plaza will be an important public meeting place for the leather community during events like Folsom Street Fair and Up Your Alley and will also provide much-needed year-round public park space in SoMa.”
Supervisor Matt Haney added: “At a time when San Francisco is rapidly changing and developing, it is even more critical that we honour and celebrate the rich history and culture of our city.
“The SOMA neighbourhood has been home to a thriving LGBTQ and leather community for decades. It is wonderful to see the important contributions of the LGBTQ leather community honoured, while also bringing much needed public open space to our neighbourhood.
“I’m grateful for the hard work of the LGBTQ community, the Mayor’s Office, Build Inc, and many others in making Eagle Plaza a reality.”
The plans for the plaza have been in the works for several years.