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Frequently Asked Questions About the Move

Why Is GMHC Moving?
What will this change mean?
Where is the new building located?
What is different about the 33rd Street building from 24th Street?
I am a client. What about new ID’s, phone numbers, and community group meetings?
Will the new building change the way services are delivered?
Is GMHC expanding services?
Is GMHC’s meal program going to be expanded in the new building?
Will the nutrition program also be expanded?
Will there be HIV testing?
How close is the new location to public transportation
How do I get to the new location?
Why isn’t GMHC providing van transportation for clients?
How will GMHC clients, volunteers, staff and visitors enter the building?
How does this designated entrance benefit GMHC?
Will the elevator situation improve in the new building?
Can the elevator actually move 912 people per hour?
Will there be access to the building in the evenings? What about Saturdays?
What other businesses and activities are nearby?
How does the move to W 33rd st impact the financial situation of GMHC?

1. Why Is GMHC Moving?

Our lease expired on December 31, 2010 for our current location at 119 West 24th Street where we have resided for 15 years.

By moving we are saving GMHC nearly $700,000 a year.

A renewal of the current lease would have increased our average annual occupancy expense by 33%, and retained all the risks and expenses associated with operating and maintaining that building.

2. What will this change mean?

The move means there will be expanded services for the people who rely on GMHC to make a difference in their lives.

Let’s face it, moving is hard. It forces change and some inconvenience. We’re doing all we can to minimize the inconvenience for staff and consumers. Moving also raises up emotions. We’re going to be leaving a building that has been a lifesaver for so many. But GMHC has a history of only moving when it’s the best thing for the people we serve.

3. Where is the new building located?

GMHC will be located at 446 West 33rd Street between 9th and 10th Avenues.

We are in good company at our new location. Our next-door neighbors are Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Associated Press. Directly across the street is The Clinton School for Writers and Artists (Middle School 260) and St. Michaels Church.

The GMHC Prevention and Wellness Center will be located at 214-224 West 29th Street in Chelsea. That’s between 7th and 8th avenues.

4. What is different about the 33rd Street building from 24th street?

GMHC will live in a “horizontal” space for the first time. We will reside on two spacious, 165,000 Sq. ft. open environment floors that will provide easy access to all services.
A swift and larger elevator stops only at GMHC’s floors: 6 and 7
A dedicated entrance will eliminate waiting on long lines to go through general building security
The dining room, with natural light pouring in through a wall of windows and a state-of-the-art kitchen, can accommodate 25-40 % more diners.
An attractive, warm, and welcoming community living room is located steps from the dining room

5. I am a client

Will I need a new ID?
We have already started processing new IDs for clients, volunteers and staff. For most people, new IDs will be issued in March and early April. For visitors, temporary IDs will be provided as in other buildings.
How do I find my way when I arrive?
There will be receptionists in the lobby, 6th and 7th floors to provide support and help for everyone coming into the building
Will the phone numbers remain the same?
Absolutely! We are fortunate to keep all the same numbers.
Will the community groups, such as 12-step meetings, be in the new building?
Yes. The community groups are very important to GMHC. We are presently working on the meeting schedule and will reach out to all the groups with updates.

6. Will the new building change the way services are delivered?

Yes, there will be great improvement in how services are delivered—the best part of the change.

“Horizontal living” means everything at West 33rd st will be located will be located within 165,000 sq. ft. on only two floors rather than vertically spread out over 12 floors as it was on West 24th Street. This means easier access to all services; quick communication between departments, mobility from one service to another and easy access to “living spaces” for relaxation and GMHC community life.
This horizontal arrangement meets the highest standards of best practices in health care and social service delivery.

7. Is GMHC expanding services?

Yes. With this move, GMHC is expanding. The top three areas of expansion that will be facilitated by our new home are youth services, a full-service pharmacy capacity, and an expanded food and nutrition program.

A) Youth Leadership development Program: GMHC will be expanding services for 13-18-year-old youth. Our program will emphasize prevention through building self-esteem and motivation to stay in school. Leadership development, learning life and vocational skills, and pursuit of earning capacity will be central to the new program.

B) Food and Nutrition Capacity: GMHC will expand its food and nutrition services. The new dining room and kitchen will increase capacity to serve 25-40 % more individuals, and the Food Pantry program for needy New Yorkers will expand as well, with thanks to the Keith Haring Foundation.

C) The Pharmacy Program which ran as a pilot at the West 24th Street building will now become a full service pharmacy with significantly increased ability to support treatment adherence. This is a great advance for the GMHC community.

8. Is GMHC’s meals program going to be expanded in the new building?

GMHC’s meals program will have increased capacity in the new location.

In renovating the space our architects were able to successfully address the challenges of the new space. We now have a state-of -the art kitchen
GMHC will be able to provide hot, nutritious, balanced meals during lunch Monday through Thursday and dinner on Friday evening
The dining room will be a larger, more attractive and comfortable space with a 94 ft length wall of windows providing natural light
We will have 25% - 40 % greater service capacity

9. Will the nutrition program also be expanded?

The new location will also allow us to expand our Food Pantry Program, providing more food to needy New Yorkers — thanks, in part, to the generosity of the Keith Haring Foundation
We will continue to enhance our nutrition counseling as well

10. Will there be HIV testing?

Our HIV testing program, slated to open June 1st, will be expanded in the new GMHC Prevention and Wellness Center located at 214-224 West 29th Street — the hub of our testing and education programs.

Offering testing services at a site different from our new office space on West 33rd Street is not a new concept — Planned Parenthood, AIDS Project Los Angeles and San Francisco AIDS Foundation all have successful HIV testing programs located in separate locations.

The GMHC Prevention and Wellness Center will allow for our high-risk HIV-negative clients to become engaged in educational, support and prevention services that include testing, but do not rely on testing only.

11. How close is the new location to public transportation?

No more than one and a half city blocks walking distance.

GMHC is located at 446 West 33rd Street between 9th and 10th Avenues
Our new location is 1½ block from a major transportation hub: Penn Station
The best exit from Penn station for GMHC is 33rd Street and 8th Avenue with elevator and escalator access to the street level

12. How do I get there?

By Subway:
34th Street local and express stops 1,2,3, A, C, D, E lines (exit 8th Ave)
34th Street local and express stops F, B, N, Q, R lines (exit 6th Ave.)

By Bus:
34th St Cross-town runs every 7 minutes during peak hours
7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th Avenue buses stop at 34th and 33rd Streets

On foot:
Walk from Penn Station 33rd St and 8th Ave = 1 ½ blocks
Walk from 34th St and 9th Ave = 1 ½ blocks
Walk from 34th St and 10th Ave = 1 ½ blocks
Walk from 6th Ave and 34th St = 4 ½ blocks

And, of course, some of our clients will continue to use Access-A-Ride.

13. Why isn’t GMHC providing van transportation for clients?

The 34th Street cross-town bus runs every 7 to 10 minutes
A special GMHC van would take 40 minutes to complete one loop.

A client waiting for a van on Lexington Avenue could wait as much as 40 minutes or more for a GMHC van to arrive. But an MTA cross-town bus arrives every 10 minutes, and every 7 minutes during peak travel time.

14. How will GMHC clients, volunteers, staff and visitors enter the building?

We’re fortunate to have our own GMHC entrance to the building at 446 West 33rd Street. We’ll also have our own security system as well as a dedicated elevator.

15. How does this designated entrance benefit GMHC?

The designated entrance for GMHC staff, clients, and visitors means no one will have to wait on long lines at other entrances to the building to pass through security procedures intended for staff and visitors to other building tenants.

We will control our own security system. GMHC staff, clients and visitors will have easy access to the building.

16. Will the elevator situation improve in the new building?

In the current building, the situation with the elevators has been challenging. After 15 years GMHC will finally have an elevator that efficiently gets everyone to where they need to go.

The large elevator in the new location can actually move 912 people per hour!

17. How can the elevator move 912 people per hour?

The elevator has the capacity to carry 30 to 40 individuals at one time.
It will travel to only two floors — GMHC’s 6th and 7th floor facility.
It will only transport GMHC passengers.

At West 24th Street, GMHC passengers often had to wait as long as 15 minutes for an elevator, and then stop at several floors before reaching their destination.

18. Will there be access to the building in the evenings?

GMHC will be open 10:00 am to 10:00 pm Monday through Friday with the ability to hold evening activities as we have in past, so long as a staff member is participating.

What about Saturdays?

GMHC has access to the building on Saturdays.

Currently we do not provide services on Saturdays, and are only open on Saturdays for special events. While that will continue, as we experience life on West 33rd Street, we will explore the possibility of occasionally opening on Saturdays.

19. What other businesses and activities are located nearby?

The new location has plenty of nearby shops, places to eat, and activities. The 34th Street and surrounding area is quite busy both day and night.

Nearby shops include everything from Penn Plaza, to the walking mall at Herald Square, shopping at K-Mart, Conway’s, Macys, and myriad shops, Loews 34th Street Cineplex; restaurants from the Sky Light Diner, to Mc Donald’s and Chipotle to name a few.

Penn Station itself has shops of every kind. The Hammerstein Ballroom is nearby as is H&M, Forever 21, Foot Action, Borders, B&H, St. Michael’s Church, Madison Square Garden, the YAI Network, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and the New York Women’s Foundation. New York University Medical Center at 32nd Street & 1st Avenue, and Roosevelt Hospital at 58th Street and 10th Avenue are the nearest hospital and medical facilities.

20. How does the move to West 33rd St impact the financial situation of GMHC?

The move means more money for services not rent.

If we had remained on West 24th Street our rent and building upkeep expenses would have increased by 33%, costing GMHC money we do not have. Were we to remain on West 24th Street we would have to cut back services. That is simply not an option.