Five 'futuristic' new toilets debut at NYC parks, costing city $1M a pop: 'A little steep'
Share and Follow

They’re flushing millions down the toilets.

The city decided to invest million in setting up five new stainless steel toilets in public parks. The cost may seem high, but these futuristic pods are actually sold at a relatively low retail price of around 5,000 each.

The “Portland Loos” cost $1 million each with “additional site specific costs” that included related plumbing, electrical and pavement work that went along with the installation, officials said — but some Big Apple residents said the price tag is totally loo-dicrous.

“That frustrates me,” said Bushwick resident Tiv Adler, 29, at Irving Square Park in Brooklyn on Thursday. “I wish we could reallocate that money to more resources for the public.”

But others said when you gotta go, you gotta have somewhere to go — even though the pod at Hoyt Playground was locked Thursday afternoon.

“At this point, I feel like we should actually be able to use it,” said Valeria Martinez, 23, who called the initiative a “waste of money.”

“I think it’ll probably take around a month or two for it to be gross, and be locked again probably,” she added.

The new toilets are part of a long-awaited $6 million pilot program, according to City Hall. Other sports where the facilities have been installed are Joyce Kilmer Park in the Bronx, Thomas Jefferson Park in Manhattan and Father Macris Park in Staten Island.

“Let’s be honest, when nature calls, New Yorkers shouldn’t have to cut their fun short,” Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement.

“We’re proud to be rolling out our new, sleek bathrooms across all five boroughs, which will ensure New Yorkers across our city can soak up more of the sun this summer with friends and loved ones without having to worry about where to go when they have to go.”

The new locations were chosen in neighborhoods that needed some relief with more options for restrooms and many saw the cost as worth it.

“I think public restrooms are a huge issue,” said Williamsburg resident Mike Graffiti, 27. “Does a million sound a little steep? Yeah … there’s a lot of other factors that come into it, where it’s just expensive to do things in New York City because that’s how it is.”

But even the most optimistic New Yorkers were concerned about the cleanliness of the Portland Loos, first used in 2008 by the city in Oregon.

Will it stay clean? We don’t know,” said Bushwick local Elise Verstraete, 39. “If they lock it at night, it may be, and as long as they maintain it.

“No one [bathroom] is ever that clean,” Verstraete added. “Plus, with the amount of homeless people that trickle in here in the evening, I believe they close [the park] down at night so that might be a good preventative measure, but I don’t think that’s going to stop it.”

The “deluxe” pods include a baby changing station, anti-graffiti walls, angled louvers for officials to monitor criminal activity.

The facilities can also be connected to full utilities for year-round use, are ADA-accessible and are designed to last decades, if maintained properly.

The new potties are part of Adams’ June 2024 “Ur In Luck” initiative, which aims to expand public bathroom access citywide with nearly 50 new public bathrooms slated to be built and an additional 36 existing facilities set to be renovated through 2029.

The news comes as a bill passed by City Council earlier this year directed officials to come up with a plan to add at least 2,120 public bathrooms to the city by the year 2035 — half of which would be publicly owned.

The Big Apple only has about 1,100 public toilets for its 8.6 million residents, bill sponsor council member Sandy Nurse said at the time — or about one toilet per 7,800 residents.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Omaha bystander flees gas station bathroom moments before armed man fires on officers

Quick-Thinking Bystander Escapes Omaha Gas Station as Armed Encounter Unfolds

An intense confrontation unfolded at a gas station in Omaha, Nebraska, where…
200K power banks recalled after reports of overheating, fires

200,000 Power Banks Recalled Due to Overheating and Fire Hazard Concerns

According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), incidents related…
Veteran teacher wins settlement payout after racism allegations

Experienced Educator Secures Settlement Following Allegations of Racial Discrimination

A Maryland educator has secured a substantial settlement following the failure of…
Loyola New Orleans TPUSA chapter denied again after 'absolutely appalling' student government meeting: student

Controversial Denial: Loyola New Orleans TPUSA Chapter Faces Rejection Amid Heated Student Government Debate

The student government at Loyola University has once again rejected a bid…
FIFA gives President Donald Trump a peace prize in a departure from its traditional focus on sport

FIFA Honors President Donald Trump with Unprecedented Peace Prize, Shifting Focus Beyond Sports

WASHINGTON — In an unexpected twist at the 2026 World Cup draw,…
Canadian politician arrested after claiming threatening voicemail was AI-generated

Canadian Politician Detained After Alleging AI Involvement in Threatening Voicemail

A Canadian politician, who previously suggested that a voicemail she purportedly left…
US vaccine advisers say not all babies need a hepatitis B shot at birth

US Health Panel Recommends Selective Hepatitis B Vaccination for Newborns: Expert Insights

A federal advisory panel on vaccines has voted to discontinue the long-established…
Brad Pitt's architect friend Frank Gehry dies at 96

Renowned Architect and Brad Pitt’s Close Friend, Frank Gehry, Passes Away at 96

Frank Gehry, the visionary architect celebrated globally for his groundbreaking designs, has…