Lipscomb wants the property to be a known option for those seeking a physical community, be they neighbors or gay residents spread across the city.

"LGBT Detroit has been in the business of changing hearts and minds since day one. And how do you do that? You engage," he said. "What makes us unique is that we have the capacity to get people together."

It's seeking financing through grants, individual donors and corporations to renovate. Meeting that 2020 goal is the biggest challenge the nonprofit faces, Lipscomb said. Individual donors have given a total of $40,000 so far. He declined to name the most substantial contributor.

The advocacy organization that was known as KICK until 2015 has a yearly budget of $350,000 and offers at least 15 programs, according to its website and Lipscomb. It relies heavily on volunteer experts for its work in domestic violence, sexual abuse, HIV prevention eduction and neighborhood development. It's also in talks to make a formal partnership with Detroit substance abuse treatment service Pure Recovery that will give it access to trained drug abuse specialists.

LGBT Detroit has three paid staff and one full-time volunteer, as well as a raft of consultants and part-time volunteers. One contractor handles social media — an aspect of public engagement at which LGBT Detroit excels, Lipscomb said.

Anecdotally, Hotter than July — LGBT Detroit's black gay pride festival — is still more well-known than the organization itself, he said. Awareness is a battle.

"That's still a challenge," he said. "That's still a huge work, as the people who identify as gay and lesbian in the real world, not in pop culture, in the real world, people can still be thrown out of their homes, people can still lose their jobs … people are being victimized because of their identity ..."

Other organizations active in the LGBT space in metro Detroit include statewide political advocacy organization Equality Michigan, formerly the Triangle Foundation and based in Detroit, and Affirmations in Ferndale.

The Ferndale community and resource center has struggled with funding, is going through a restructuring process and has parted with its interim leader, Lilianna Reyes, according to updates on its social media and Price Source reporting.

Equality Michigan plans to detail its 2019 goals at a fundraiser on March 3. It aims to be a resource for victims of bias and violence seeking support or services, as well as a general advocate for LGBT residents.