A public restroom in San Francisco once projected to cost $1.7M is finally open: Take a look inside
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) – A controversial public restroom installed last month in San Francisco’s Noe Valley neighborhood is finally ready for the public to use.
Plans for the restroom first gained national attention in 2022, after the San Francisco Chronicle reported on the projected price tag of $1.7 million. The cost prompted conversations about wasteful spending, and became the butt of jokes aimed at the city.
And no, the toilet isn’t made from gold, which is what some may have assumed for when the projected price was announced. It’s an all-gender, single-person restroom with a baby changing station.
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At the time, San Francisco Recreation and Parks said the price was based on possible costs, including further improvements or maintenance.
“We estimate high — not because we want to spend more money, but because we want to ensure we can deliver projects to communities even if we are hit with unexpected costs,” a spokesman said in 2022. “That means budgeting for the worst-case scenario.”
Even still, a celebration to mark the project at Noe Valley in 2022 was canceled amid the backlash.
The restroom didn’t end up costing nearly the amount projected. A couple of local companies stepped in to lower costs, including one that donated a prefabricated toilet, according to the Chronicle. The cost eventually came down to around $300,000.
The bathroom ultimately opened this month, and the district is even preparing to commemorate the occasion with a “Toilet Bowl” this Sunday, April 21.
The event is described as a “blowout celebration” for the facility, will feature a Toilet Tree ceremony and an ornament crafts table. The event will also include activities such as yoga, face painting, live music and a “toilet bowl toss.”
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District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman is also expected to attend and speak.
“It’s taken a lot longer than anyone would have hoped, but it is very much needed,” Mandelman said.
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