A New Standard for Public Restrooms
A newly designed restroom facility at a playground on Staten Island recently received a prestigious design award, potentially setting a blueprint for similar projects throughout New York City.
The Lopez Playground Modular Public Restroom, located in Fox Hills, was among 24 projects honored in this year’s American Institute of Architects New York Design Awards. This recognition was largely attributed to its innovative modular construction method.
Bree Hensold, an urban planner with HASLA and a juror for the award, noted that the judges were interested in projects that addressed real-world issues and emphasized the importance of accessibility in architecture. “While it’s a small structure, it smartly tackles common challenges,” she explained. “The design allows for easy replication across the city, with off-site manufacturing that could speed up the construction process and prevent the need for park closures.”
This comfort station—unique in its shipping container-like design—is the first of its kind in New York City and will be constructed in three sections at a Pennsylvania factory before being transported to the park.
Costing $3.8 million, the project was finished in just four and a half years and its completion was announced in March 2024. Notably, it exceeded the budget of a similar restroom in Soundview Park, which was around $2.1 million but took double the time to build.
During a recent visit, the new restrooms appeared well-kept, despite some graffiti that suggested attempts to clean the walls had been unsuccessful.
Local residents seem to appreciate the restrooms. One Staten Island Park Hill TSA official, Sherifat Kasum, remarked, “These are definitely award-worthy. We’ve seen some awful facilities in other boroughs, so this is a breath of fresh air.” She speculated that the early closing time at 4 p.m. might explain their relatively good condition.
Dyron Rodriguez, 30, echoed similar sentiments, saying, “Everything looks new and fancy… Honestly, I can’t think of anything that could make it better.” He emphasized the importance of cleanliness for families using the facilities.
However, some users voiced concerns over the number of toilet stalls, as three per entrance might not suffice during peak hours, leading to long waits. “We’ve encountered some terrible restrooms, especially in restaurants,” said Fatima Valo, 32, highlighting the difference at Lopez Playground. “But this one? It’s a solid 10/10.”
The restroom’s acclaim suggests we might see more of these innovative designs throughout the city, though likely without the distinctive paint scheme reflecting the local neighborhood. Upcoming units are scheduled for Fort Washington Park and two more locations in the Bronx.
New York Parks officials plan to renovate 36 of its 700 comfort stations and add 46 new bathrooms as part of their Better Bathrooms Initiative. A spokesperson assured that these prefabricated restrooms would ensure better construction quality and minimize disruptions.
This award follows Mayor Mamdani’s recent commitment of $4 million for up to 30 modular public toilets throughout the boroughs, aiming to enhance public restroom availability beyond just parks.
Recent city council findings revealed that the nearly 200 public restrooms managed primarily by the Parks Department are in dire need of maintenance, often lacking basic necessities like soap and toilet paper.
