A city plan for a public restroom in Columbus Park should be flushed away, critics say, because planners chose a location that’s too public for such discreet business.
The Department of Transportation, which oversees the city’s tortured toilet-siting process, selected a site just north of Montague Street in the paved park that is too close to the Greenmarket, Supreme Court entrance and the Borough Hall subway station for a pay toilet, members of the Community Board 2 Parks and Recreation Committee said on Monday night.
“This is hideous,” said committee member Nancy Wolf. “How will the Greenmarket people feel about having to put out their vegetables near the bathroom?”
The Department of Transportation will consider alternate latrine locations, said agency spokesman Scott Gastel.
Some members also disliked the design of the modern loo, which will be wrapped with advertising, though there was a general level of support for this self-cleaning, 25-cent answer to nature’s call.
“It’s going to serve a good function for park users,” said Seth Taylor, business services manager of the Court, Livingston and Schermerhorn Business Improvement District.
And this ain’t your daddy’s Porta-Potty either. After 15 minutes, its door opens to discourage vagrants and deviants from camping out or prostitutes from plying their trade.
It also cleans itself after each visitor leaves, allegedly ensuring high sanitary standards.
