Gothamist: $1 Billion Street Furniture Deal Means 20 Public Toilets

Rose Fox

Thu, 22 Sep 2005 14:35:05 -0500

Meanwhile, the Bryant Park Restoration Corp. and 34th Street Partnership have done a great job with the public toilets in Bryant Park and Herald Square. I'm surprised not to see them mentioned, especially given how often Bryant Park's bathrooms make it into national publications; but given how long they've been around, perhaps that doesn't count as recent ballyhooing.

Tinkle Tess

Thu, 22 Sep 2005 10:48:55 -0500

Although it's been sad to see New York look increasingly like a suburban strip mall, I must say this widespread proliferation of big-box stores is really like Free Public Bathrooms, which are often pretty good. Hurray for the 6th Ave Bed, Bath and Beyond! And I never feel guilty for using them without buying stuff, unlike I would at a non-chain restaurant or something local/struggling. Starbucks ones are starting to look way worse than McDonald's -- very fecal/no TP/fighting with junkies.

S.D.

Thu, 22 Sep 2005 10:45:53 -0500

Isn't that the Loo that they used in HBO's OZ??

smitty

Thu, 22 Sep 2005 09:34:19 -0500

The bad problem with these self-contained public toilets are the syringes left on the floor after junkies have shot up. Blech. See example: San Francisco's fancy euro toilets.

johnny

Thu, 22 Sep 2005 09:29:18 -0500

I have been happily urinating & defecating in the streets & bushes of this great city since 1991. I confess that at first I did it because there was no place to go. Only later did I realize that I actually preferred the clandestine nature of crapping in the streets. It is a lifestyle choice. The addition of 20 hi-tech toilets will not deter me.

Brightliner

Thu, 22 Sep 2005 09:15:46 -0500

I wish there were more. I can't count how many times I've needed to go and found myself looking for a Starbucks sign. Not to mention the time I saw a guy relieving himself on Sixth Ave between two car bumpers at 10 a.m. This is midtown in broad daylight with thousands of people around. If a few public restrooms could prevent sights like this, I'm game. I wouldn't even mind if they charged a quarter or two for each use to help offset maintenance and supply costs. That See-Through Loo was one of a kind and not "toilets" (plural).

Josh

Thu, 22 Sep 2005 08:52:34 -0500

Great public toilets...like the city didn't stink enough already without this waste of money.