New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced a $4 million initiative to expand access to public restrooms citywide through a new Request for Proposals (RFP) aimed at sourcing modular public restroom units. The program, led by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), will launch within the first 100 days of the administration and intends to speed up installation timelines and reduce costs compared to past projects. This initiative draws inspiration from similar efforts in cities such as Los Angeles, Portland, and Washington, D.C.
The first new modular restroom under this program will be installed at 12th Avenue and St. Clair Place in West Harlem, Manhattan, later this year. The announcement was made on-site, where Mayor Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin signed final approvals for the project. The restroom will be free to use, fully accessible, self-cleaning, and include a water bottle filler. It is part of a broader plan to increase restroom access beyond city parks, where the majority of the nearly 1,000 existing public restrooms are currently located.
The program supports the City Council’s legislative goal to double the number of public restrooms by 2035 and will prioritize high-traffic areas, including plazas and transit-adjacent locations. Additional sites will be identified in partnership with city agencies, including the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT), which is involved in determining suitable locations for future installations.
The West Harlem site for the RFP is located nearby two 125th Street stations, served by the 1, A, B, C, and D trains.
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Every mayor in my lifetime has launched an initiative like this. And yet we still don’t have enough public bathrooms. Get back to me at the ribbon cutting.
Odd location. It is all commercial and warehouses no foot traffic. We should start in tourist areas with lots of foot traffic.
Housing for homeless 😂 🚽 btw I’m not against building housing for homeless either.