Long Beach has unveiled its conceptual design renderings for the future LGBTQ+ Cultural District, which will be located along the Broadway corridor.
City officials and community members gathered at Bixby Park on Wednesday, June 17, to get a first look at the designs. Long Beach philanthropist and drag queen Jewels Long Beach served as the master of ceremonies for the event, bringing an enthusiastic energy for the next phase of establishing the cultural district.
The LGBTQ+ Cultural District is meant to celebrate the history, culture and contributions of Long Beach’s LGBTQ+ community along the Broadway corridor, between Alamitos and Temple avenues, officials said.
The Broadway corridor 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.
“This corridor carries a powerful history of community, advocacy, celebration, business and resilience,” said Councilmember Cindy Allen, whose Second District includes the Broadway corridor and who helped bring the project forward. “The plans we are sharing here today for the LGBTQ+ Cultural District are really about honoring that spirit.”
Rendering of the Pride Plaza at Bixby Park, part of Long Beach’s LGBTQ+ Cultural District along the Broadway corridor. (Photo courtesy of the City of Long Beach)
Rendering of the Pride Plaza at Bixby Park, part of Long Beach’s LGBTQ+ Cultural District along the Broadway corridor. (Photo courtesy of the City of Long Beach)
Rendering of Long Beach’s LGBTQ+ Cultural District along the Broadway corridor. (Photo courtesy of the City of Long Beach)
Rendering of Long Beach’s LGBTQ+ Cultural District along the Broadway corridor. (Photo courtesy of the City of Long Beach)
Attendees looking at the conceptual designs for Long Beach’s LGBTQ+ Cultural District during a community event on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at Bixby Park. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Jewels Long Beach at a community event on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at Bixby Park for the unveiling of the conceptual designs for Long Beach’s LGBTQ+ Cultural District along the Broadway corridor. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
(L-R) Councilmember Cindy Allen and Jewels Long Beach at a community event on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at Bixby Park for the unveiling of the conceptual designs for Long Beach’s LGBTQ+ Cultural District along the Broadway corridor. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Councilmember Cindy Allen at a community event on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at Bixby Park for the unveiling of the conceptual designs for Long Beach’s LGBTQ+ Cultural District along the Broadway corridor. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Councilmember Cindy Allen at a community event on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at Bixby Park for the unveiling of the conceptual designs for Long Beach’s LGBTQ+ Cultural District along the Broadway corridor. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Public Works Director Josh Hickman at a community event on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at Bixby Park for the unveiling of the conceptual designs for Long Beach’s LGBTQ+ Cultural District along the Broadway corridor. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Jack Cunningham, district director for Rep. Robert Garcia, at a community event on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at Bixby Park for the unveiling of the conceptual designs for Long Beach’s LGBTQ+ Cultural District along the Broadway corridor. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Health and Human Services Director Alison King at a community event on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at Bixby Park for the unveiling of the conceptual designs for Long Beach’s LGBTQ+ Cultural District along the Broadway corridor. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach held a community event on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at Bixby Park to unveil the conceptual designs for Long Beach’s LGBTQ+ Cultural District along the Broadway corridor. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Attendees looking at the conceptual designs for Long Beach’s LGBTQ+ Cultural District during a community event on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at Bixby Park. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
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Rendering of the Pride Plaza at Bixby Park, part of Long Beach’s LGBTQ+ Cultural District along the Broadway corridor. (Photo courtesy of the City of Long Beach)
This project will make improvements identified through the city’s LGBTQ+ Cultural District Strategic Improvement Plan, which was developed through an extensive community visioning process led by the Community Development Department, in collaboration with PlaceWorks via surveys, workshops and business-owner specific workshops, according to the city. The City Council formally approved by the plan in May 2024, and the project is now being implemented by the Public Works Department.
The proposed improvements, including festoon cross-street lighting, art murals, new street trees and a Pride Plaza – to be built on the corner of Broadway and Junipero Avenue – are designed to strengthen the corridor’s identity, enhance the experience for residents and visitors, and create a welcoming public space that honors the community’s cultural legacy while supporting continued investment in the district, officials said.
The first phase of work will focus on improving the Broadway corridor between Hermosa and Junipero avenues, because of available funding, and its proximity to the beach, Bixby Park and the route of the annual Pride Parade.
Grant and other funding opportunities will be sought to plant street trees, where feasible, along the corridor. The trees are intended to provide shade, while also improving the visual identity and characteristics of the corridor, officials said. Additional amenities and improvements identified in the strategic improvement plan, such as utility box wrap art, tree and facade “up-lighting” and additional decorative crosswalks, will be incorporated as funding becomes available.
The LGBTQ+ Cultural District project is part of the city’s Elevate ‘28 Infrastructure Investment Plan.
“Our goal is to make these investments over the next couple of years and have it all wrapped up for 2028,” said Public Works Director Josh Hickman. “We’re really excited to continue transforming this space, continue transforming this neighborhood and continuing to invest in what we have here.”
The city has more than $3 million that will be invested into the cultural district, Hickman said. This includes funding through the city’s Measure A revenue and $850,000 in federal money secured by Rep. Robert Garcia, a former Long Beach mayor.
Garcia first championed creating the district during his tenure as mayor, officials said. In 2022, then-Mayor Garcia and Allen brought forward a recommendation directing city staffers to collaborate with community stakeholders to develop a vision and feasibility plan for the LGBTQ+ Cultural District.
“If the congressman were standing here, he would be overwhelmed with how excited he is with projects like this moving forward,” said Jack Cunningham, district director for Garcia. “The contributions that the LGBTQ community has made to Long Beach, to Southern California, to the United States as a whole, should not go unrecognized.”
While the city has yet to share a timeline for the work, the project is anticipated to be completed by 2028.
Besides unveiling the conceptual designs on Wednesday, Long Beach also provided attendees with the opportunity to connect with city departments, which shared information about various programs, services and resources available to residents.
“When people see this history, their identity and their pride reflected in the place they call home, it connects them further to it, and it connects us to one another,” Alison King, director of the city’s Department of Health and Human Services, said during the event. “These aren’t just upgrades to a street; they’re investments in visibility, safety and community.”
Long Beach community members can share their thoughts on the LGBTQ+ Cultural District project by filling out a survey at lbcity.info/lgbtqdistrict.