Brooklyn is the county of Kings, and kings need their thrones.
It was with much anticipation that Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the rollout of 17 free, accessible bathroom facilities, called Thrones, across New York City on Sept. 16.
The $4 million modular public bathroom pilot program will bring the thrones to public plazas and high-traffic areas, where New Yorkers currently lack reliable access to a bathroom. Brooklyn locations include Columbus Park, Fulton Street and Truxton Street, Milestone Park, and Avenue C Plaza.
Free, accessible bathroom facilities for New Yorkers sound simple. Yet the Mamdani administration is the first to seriously tackle the task.
"Too many New Yorkers know what it’s like to have nowhere to go while they’re on the go," said Mamdani. "This pilot is about making sure New Yorkers can count on a clean, safe, accessible bathroom when they need one."
The Mayor first announced the City’s commitment to the $4 million modular public bathroom pilot in January. In June, the New York City Economic Development Corporation selected Throne Labs through a competitive bidding process to deliver, operate and service the bathrooms.
The NYC Department of Transportation and NYC Department of Parks may sometimes disagree, but the need for free and accessible public bathroom facilities is a common ground for both agencies.
"All New Yorkers deserve welcoming public spaces that allow them to get where they’re going with dignity and feel cared for," said Mike Flynn, NYC DOT commissioner. "Public restrooms improve the quality of life for everyone, especially our older adults, parents with young children, delivery workers, people with disabilities and so many more."
According to the mayor, these bathrooms may be the first of many.
"This is only the first 17 locations, and if this is a successful first year, we're going to be expanding this approach," Mamdani told BK Reader.
The 17 bathrooms are not only useful, but economically efficient. According to Mamdani, one bathroom constructed by the parks department costs about $3.5 million, whereas the cost of the 17 Thrones will equal $4 million in total.
Each bathroom will be free and open daily from 7:00am to 10:00pm. The ADA-accessible, fully touchless units include a comfortable interior, a running-water sink, a flushing toilet, climate control and a baby-changing station.
Throne Labs will be responsible for cleaning and maintaining each unit. Real-time feedback will allow the company to respond quickly to issues and prioritize units that need attention.
The name "Thrones" has a certain ring to it.
"I had a lot of terrible names for this bathroom company," Fletcher Wilson, co-founder and CEO of Throne Labs, told BK Reader. "My wife came into the room and said, 'Why don't you name it Throne?' I said, 'That's it.'"
The 17 thrones can be found at the following locations:
Brooklyn: Columbus Park, Milestone Park, Fulton Street and Truxton Street and Avenue C Plaza
Bronx: Yankee Stadium, Admiral Farragut Playground, Mapes Park and Monsignor Raul Del Valle Square
Queens: Astoria Boulevard South and 31st Street, Northern Boulevard and 31st Street, Northern Boulevard and 54th Street and 34th Avenue and 64th Street
Manhattan: Cooper Square, Malcolm X Plaza, Delancey Street and Suffolk Street and Plaza Alianza Dominicana
Staten Island: North Shore Esplanade
