Noe Valley public toilet explained

Noe Valley public toilet
Architectural Style:Prefabricated
Address:4104 24th Street, San Francisco, California
Start Date:February, 2024
Opened Date:April 22, 2024
Cost:$200,000 scaled back from $1,700,000
Owner:San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department
Material:Steel
Size:10x
Architect:Volumetric Building Companies

The Noe Valley public toilet is a public toilet in the San Francisco neighborhood Noe Valley. The toilet's original proposed cost of $1.7 million inspired media coverage and criticism of the San Francisco government. In the wake of the media coverage, the San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department, its owner, called it "the world's most famous and eagerly anticipated prefab toilet".

The original proposal for the toilet was planned to occupy approximately 150 square feet and to be funded by the State of California to address open defecation in the city.[1] The responsible government agency, San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department, held a press conference in October 2020 in which the department projected its construction to cost $1.7 million.[2] [3] San Francisco Chronicle columnist Heather Knight reported on the cost and time to build the toilet, sparking public outcry.[4] A celebration the city government had planned for the toilet was canceled due to public dissatisfaction with the price and the two year construction timeline.[5] California State Assembly member Matt Haney, representing part of San Francisco, was one of the critics, and stated it showed the city had a "dysfunctional bureaucracy".[6] Haney had secured the $1.7 million.[7]

The cost and time needed to construct the toilet was attributed to higher costs of materials in the area, the hiring of an architect, the solicitation of community feedback, and requirements for multiple reviews by commissions, such as the Civic Design Review Committee's determination of whether the project was "appropriate to its context in the urban environment", along with the corresponding need to pay for staff time.[8]

In January 2023, city officials announced they were accepting a donated modular bathroom from Public Restroom Company in Nevada.[9] The new estimate with installation, electrical work, landscaping, and other costs came to $725,000. Volumetric Building Companies offered to cover costs on engineering and architecture work, and both companies would pay for unionized labor to install the toilet. The donated toilet was required to clear permitting and coordination with the Pacific Gas and Electric Company, San Francisco Department of Public Works, Public Utilities Commission, Planning Department, Department of Building Inspection, Mayor's Office on Disability, and Arts Commission.[8]

Site preparation began in February, 2024; the prefabricated restroom was placed by a crane in March; and installation was completed on April 22, 2024, costing about $200,000 to the city. Most of the costs came from labor. The 50 square foot facility contains a metal toilet and a baby changing station. A celebration was held at the toilet to commemorate its opening, with city residents hosting a party called the "Toilet Bowl".[10] [11] [12]

See also

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. News: SF is in need of public restrooms, but is $1.7M too much for a 150-square-foot facility?. Lyanne Melendez. KGO-TV. San Francisco. October 19, 2022. October 20, 2022. October 20, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221020055615/https://abc7news.com/sf-expensive-bathroom-noe-valley-million-dollar-restroom-public-restrooms/12347868/. live.
  2. News: Nathan Solis. Los Angeles Times. San Francisco plans to spend 2 years, $1.7 million to build single-toilet public restroom. October 20, 2022. 2022-10-20. 2022-10-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20221020213835/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-10-20/san-francisco-will-spend-2-years-and-1-7-million-to-build-a-bathroom-can-you-hold-it. live.
  3. News: October 20, 2022 . San Francisco is spending $1.7 million to build a single public toilet . . live . October 20, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221020213831/https://boingboing.net/2022/10/20/san-francisco-is-spending-1-7-million-to-build-a-single-public-toilet.html . October 20, 2022 . How on earth could a public toilet cost $1.7 million and take three years to build? The short answer is 'San Francisco' and its 'maze of planning, permitting, reviews, and public outreach' to get anything done..
  4. Web site: Barmann . Jay . 2022-10-24 . Governor's Office Wades Into Noe Valley Toilet Controversy, Says Funds Will Be Withheld . 2023-07-18 . SFist - San Francisco News, Restaurants, Events, & Sports . en.
  5. News: Celebration for SF public toilet canceled amid backlash over $1.7M price tag. Tori Gaines. KRON-TV. San Francisco. October 19, 2022. October 20, 2022. October 20, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221020213831/https://www.kron4.com/news/is-a-public-restroom-really-going-to-cost-san-francisco-1-7-million/. live.
  6. News: The Times. London. San Francisco is building a $1.7m loo where you can spend a penny ... in 2025. Keiran Southern. October 20, 2022. Haney, a member of the California State Assembly, said families had long called for a lavatory in the Noe Valley town square, opened in 2016. However, as critics denounced the plan, he said it was the latest example of San Francisco's dysfunctional bureaucracy.. October 20, 2022. October 20, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221020213834/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/san-francisco-is-building-a-1-7m-loo-where-you-can-spend-a-penny-in-2025-fsdsvqw83. live.
  7. News: Knight . Heather . 2023-01-27 . S.F. Toiletgate: Noe Valley will get its cheaper bathroom and City Hall gets lessons in finance . 2023-07-18 . . en-US.
  8. News: San Francisco Tried to Build a $1.7 Million Toilet. It’s Still Not Done. . subscription . https://web.archive.org/web/20240129071006/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/24/us/san-francisco-toilet.html . January 29, 2024 . January 24, 2024 . The New York Times.
  9. Web site: Jay. Barmann. SFist. $1.7 Million Noe Valley Public Toilet Will Now Only Cost the City $300K. January 27, 2024.
  10. News: April 22, 2024 . San Francisco Celebrates Its New Public Toilet. The New York Times.
  11. News: April 22, 2024 . Relief as San Francisco public toilet finally opens – and not for $1.7m after all. The Guardian.
  12. News: April 22, 2024 . San Francisco public toilet once priced at $1.7M opens to fanfare, relief for lowered cost. CBS News.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Noe Valley public toilet".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.