After months of hearings and legal disputes, Pittsburgh City Council voted Wednesday to deny historic designation to Donny’s Place, a former LGBTQ+ bar located on Herron Avenue in Polish Hill. The decision follows a multi-stage nomination process that began in fall 2024 and marks a significant setback for efforts to preserve queer historic sites in Western Pennsylvania.
Donny’s Place, which operated under several names from 1973 until its closure in 2022, was one of the city’s longest-running gay bars and a gathering place for Pittsburgh’s LGBTQ+ community during decades of social and political marginalization. If approved, the designation would have made it the first site in Western Pennsylvania formally recognized for its LGBTQ+ history.
The vote came one week after a public hearing where speakers voiced concerns over the building’s deteriorating condition, the late owner’s intent to redevelop the property, and the potential loss of housing development opportunities. Two council members, Erika Strassburger and Khari Mosley, recused themselves due to potential conflicts of interest. The remaining seven councilors all voted against the proposal.
“This is really, really a tough one,” Councilor Deb Gross said before the vote. “There should be a place in this city to memorialize this era of LGBTQ history. Clearly it’s not going to be at this specific site.”
Gross acknowledged the importance of preservation but cited a lack of broader support for landmarking Donny’s Place. She also noted the possibility of pursuing other forms of LGBTQ+ historic recognition, referencing community efforts to preserve sites associated with late trans-rights activist Wendi Miller in Shadyside.
The nomination process for Donny’s Place was initiated by Polish Hill residents Lizzie Anderson and Matthew Cotter, in collaboration with local historian Dade Lemanski and nonprofit group Preservation Pittsburgh. Supporters argued that the building was a crucial piece of the city’s queer social infrastructure, particularly during the HIV/AIDS crisis, when it served as a site for outreach connected to the Pitt Men’s Study.
However, the designation met strong resistance from the estate of Donny’s founder, Donald Thinnes, and Laurel Communities, the real estate developer Thinnes partnered with before his death. In February, the estate and developer filed a lawsuit against Anderson and Cotter, accusing them of interfering with the planned redevelopment of the property. The lawsuit remains unresolved.
In March, the city’s Historic Review Commission voted to issue “no recommendation” on the nomination, a rare procedural move, and the Planning Commission later voted unanimously against it. Wednesday’s City Council decision effectively ends the official preservation effort.
During the final deliberation, attorney Jonathan Kamin, representing the estate and developer, urged the Council to reject the nomination, calling the process “exhausted” and arguing that preserving the building would prevent urgently needed housing.
Despite the defeat, several council members voiced support for exploring alternative approaches to LGBTQ+ historic preservation. Council President Theresa Kail-Smith proposed establishing a city fund to support LGBTQ-owned businesses, and Strassburger referenced ongoing work to preserve community spaces important to Pittsburgh’s trans and queer communities.
As of now, the future of the building on Herron Avenue remains uncertain. Advocates for preservation have not indicated whether they plan to pursue further legal or community-based options to commemorate Donny’s Place.
This latest development follows months of coverage on the nomination effort, legal tensions, and public debate over the building’s future. While City Council’s decision concludes the formal landmark application, the broader conversation about queer preservation in Pittsburgh is far from over.
QBurgh is working to preserve Pittsburgh’s queer history. Learn more and help our efforts to preserve this important and often overlooked part of our city and region’s history.
