Bay Windows - May 27, 2004
Peter Cassels

The sudden closure of the center, which overlooks Interstate 195 near downtown Providence, sent groups scrambling for other meeting sites. One, the state's Campaign for Marriage Equality, posted a notice on the center's doors saying strategy meetings were switched to a nearby coffeehouse.

In a May 14 statement to news media, Roger Grindstaff, board president of India Point Project (IPP), the nonprofit group that operates India Point Place, which houses the center, described the closing as temporary and blamed financial problems. "While IPP has received almost widespread acclaim and praise for the beautiful facility it had developed to meet the needs of the community at large, it has been a struggle to gain the support necessary to maintain the facility appropriately," he said.

Grindstaff also said IPP is undergoing restructuring, which he partly attributed to the April 25 resignation of Executive Director Garith Fulham because of illness. Fulham, he said, was responsible for securing much of the organization's finances. "Revenue that was due IPP, which we had been depending on to meet operational expenses, has not come through," Grindstaff said. "Financial support from the community at large has fallen far short of what we anticipated and counted on."

The GLBT center has a history of financial problems. Plans for renovating the former furniture store on George M. Cohan Boulevard in the city's Fox Point section were unveiled in April 2001, with a projected opening date for six months later. Funding and contractor problems caused a further delay of more than two years. Shortly before the center opened Jan. 10, Grindstaff told Bay Windows costs to open India Point Place totaled about $1.2 million, covered in part by a $25,000 grant from the city of Providence.

RI Pride, the organization that stages the state's annual community celebration in June, managed the community center under a two-year contract that began in November 2003.

In a May 15 e-mail to Bay Windows, RI Pride's board of directors reported that on May 11 IPP urged organizations to remove all property from India Point Place because of an impending eviction.

When RI Pride entered into the contract to manage the community center, its board stated, "it was represented that IPP owned the building." However, India Point Place is now owned by Donald Ihlefeld of East Greenwich, R.I. According to RI Pride, IPP told tenants the landlord began eviction proceedings because of its inability to fulfill the building's lease. Contacted by Bay Windows, Ihlefeld acknowledged ownership, but would not comment further.

Under the terms of the contract with RI Pride, its board reported, IPP would manage the building, supply infrastructure, such as utilities, telecommunications and furniture, and provide resources to develop programs at the center. IPP also operated a caf on the first floor.

"Over time, RI Pride became aware that IPP was experiencing some financial difficulties in fulfilling portions of the contract between both organizations," its board said. "These areas included the startup costs for the center, staffing resources and infrastructure implementation."

Despite the financial problems, RI Pride continued to work on the final stages of developing a business plan, initiated programs and events and created a cyber center.

RI Pride said promises made by IPP to resolve the financial situation were not fulfilled, so it told its membership in mid-April that a new model for managing, operating and staffing the center would need to be established. "As a result, communications became extremely strained between both parties," the RI Pride board stated. "The operations and stability of IPP and India Point Place were now put into question."

By early May, telecommunications service at the facility was disconnected. RI Pride moved its administrative operations back to its Seymour Street offices on Providence's South Side.

"Ultimately, the managers of India Point Project are the only individuals who can provide the complete details of the status of the building, the infrastructure, fiduciary responsibilities and plan for their organization," the RI Pride board stated.

Contacted by Bay Windows, Grindstaff would not comment beyond his May 14 statement.

RI Pride, its board reported, is working with other community organizations displaced by the GLBT center closure and Providence city officials to explore alternative sites. Youth Pride, AIDS Project RI, AIDS Care Ocean State and RI Pride are offering meeting space during the transition.

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