Ritchie said the property has compelling amenities. Plus, the location also benefits from being near the western edges of downtown San Jose, where major development projects are being pondered.
The Watergarden property is unlikely to become housing. What emerged amid early AIDS outbreaks as a safe-sex champion has succumbed to another pandemic entirely. The Watergarden— an iconic San Jose institution and one of only two remaining gay bathhouses in the Bay Area—is closing for good, another casualty of coronavirus-related regulations to limit contact. For decades, the business has worked hand-in-hand with the county to offer STD prevention services for men who frequented the poolside spa at The Alameda to have sex with other men.
Already, being closed for months on end has resulted in grave financial losses. During a recent sit-down interview at the Billy DeFrank LGBTQ Center, which lies just a quick walk away from the Watergarden, Gamber says he saw closure as an inevitability as soon as the county issued its first stay-home order on March Very painful.
Antolovich began working there doing public health outreach in the s—the first woman to work with the resort. Photo by Greg Ramar. Billy DeFrank board president Gabrielle Antolovich, 70, says the closure means San Jose will lose a cultural treasure, the capstone of a district— St.
But Gamber battled those sentiments until patrons started seeing it the way he did: that I was actually a good fit, that I was part of the team. In addition to the private rooms where patrons could hook up, the Watergarden featured a gym, a pool table, a swimming deck, hot tubs and lounge areas. Members would enjoy family-style gatherings on the back deck.
They watched sports together. For the most part, the Watergarden was a place for people to let their guard down. There was no pressure to hook up. His partner was diagnosed HIV positive in and died from the disease in As a gay man and public health official, however, Dr. While his counterpart in San Francisco, Dr.
Mervyn Silverman, moved to regulate bathhouses out of existence, the Watergarden remained open as usual—day and night, around the clock. Snell—who once owned gay watering holes Desperados and Club St. The Watergarden certainly made enough of an impact on enough lives to merit that kind of interest. One such caller used to mark his anniversary by enjoying the same spot on the pool deck where he met his partner—now deceased—decades prior.
He was heartbroken to find out that the tradition would have to end. Bernadette DeArmond, director of the Santa Clara County AIDS program, presents to the Watergarden staff a certificate of recognition for their work in preventing sexually transmitted diseases. Follow her on Twitter at jennwadsworth. Michael R. Honestly not deserving of anyones time Night staff can be down right rude.
MY friends have called and reported this location for promoting illegal activities. Davis A. Not worth the trip, time or money. Don H. Take precautions. Secondly put something between your bare ass and the tile benches in the steamroom.
Sit on your towel. That goes for sitting or laying on the benches in the Porn theater or the TV room. It just one little bug in your asshole area to get deathly ill!
Those little critters move real fast. Louie P. This is my first Bathhouses I visit in San Jose. It kind expensive if you go one time. Itg is clean and neat so far. This is a good place to relax and get some sun tan. Mike B. The building and Facility get a 5 star. But if your looking for SEX Forget it!
Or the Yong Asian and Latin guys that only associate with their own kind and sit in a corner chattering in their native language. Place is a disappointment from what it was like years ago.
If you are looking for action try the Steamworks in Berkley. At least the guys there want to play. The only better one was Steamworks in Chicago.
It has a lovely pool and large jacuzzi and I encountered 0 attitude. I loved: — Clean clean clean, spotless. Loved this. Go visit other bathhouses around America that are crack dens, the Watergarden will look like heaven to you lol. Anthony M. This bath house is really just a front for a sex club!
There are even hookers! Todd H. The Watergarden is poorly managed and operatged in an extremely unprofessional manner. The problems start from the vey top and filter down the chain of command. Oh, and by the way, most of the bitchy rude comments are in Spanish. It is incredibly rude for the workers to be communicating almost exclusively in Spanish when customers are present.
The two other major drawbacks relate to the music and the lack of areas in which customers are allowed to play. The music that they play there is not sexy at all. I honestly thought that I was being Punked! This happens even on Friday and Saturday nights which I find unbelievable.
Finally, the last major problem with this place is the lack of places where guys can play. I have to admit — the remodel of the porn video lounge is great! No complaints there. However, using the steamroom as the only other place to play in this whole huge bathhouse is not only ridiculous, but also extremely unsafe. Let me say it again — —this is not a lobby at the Courtyard Marriott by the airport.
Kooky B. Brooklyn O. The Watergarden is a clean, well run bathhouse.
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