Washington Square West  contains the area bounded by Chestnut, Pine, Broad, and 10th streets known as The Gayborhood by locals. It is so-named because of its large concentration of gay and lesbian oriented bookstores, coffee shops, restaurants, boutiques, clubs and gay bars. It was also the center of Philadelphia's gay bathhouse culture in the 1970s and early 1980s. The Gayborhood takes up the majority of the west side of Wash West, and is the location of Philadelphia's annual OutFest: National Coming Out Day celebration. On 18 April 2007, the city of Philadelphia officially recognized the area by adding 36 gay pride rainbow flag symbols to street signs bordering the Gayborhood area.

Its success as a city neighborhood has led to several attempts at large scale private development in the Gayborhood in the 2000s. In 2002 the developer Tony Goldman attempted to change 13th street and its surroundings into the "Blocks Below Broad" or "B3", with the launch of several new retail establishments. The attempt failed, but was repeated in 2006 by a merchants association organized by James McManaman. The organization has attempted to re-brand the neighborhood as "Midtown Village". The association has been successful in launching several new retail establishments along 13th streets, but the name "Midtown Village" has been met with ambivalence by locals.

Its success as a city neighborhood has led to several attempts at large scale private development in the Gayborhood in the 2000s. In 2002 the developer Tony Goldman attempted to change 13th street and its surroundings into the "Blocks Below Broad" or "B3", with the launch of several new retail establishments. The attempt failed, but was repeated in 2006 by a merchants association organized by James McManaman. The organization has attempted to re-brand the neighborhood as "Midtown Village". The association has been successful in launching several new retail establishments along 13th streets, but the name "Midtown Village" has been met with ambivalence by locals.

 

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Zip codes  [where: 19107]