CLEVELAND, Ohio — New public restrooms could be coming to downtown Cleveland if approved by the Cleveland Planning Commission.
The city of Cleveland will go before the planning commission Friday in hopes of bringing Portland Loo to the city. Portland Loo, designed in Portland, Oregon, are gender-neutral, freestanding public restrooms.
According to a presentation sent to the commission, this comes after a successful restroom pilot in Ohio City where Ohio City Inc., received funding for 10 port-a-potty trailers after experiencing human waste problems during the pandemic.
In contrast to the portable restrooms, the Loos restrooms have a stainless steel design with anti-graffiti finish, along with an open bottom and top to allow sight lines and for sounds to carry for safety purposes while maintaining privacy. Other features also include an exterior handwashing station, built-in hose and cleaning cabinet and ability to function year-round.
“Our ability to respond to a universal and biological need is a basic human right,” the city said in its presentation. “Everyone deserves to have access to a toilet without question or purchase.”
The city plans to install and own Loos in three locations: Canal Basin Park in the Flats, Perk Plaza on East 12th Street and the Virgil E. Brown Neighborhood Family Services Center on Payne Avenue.
The presentation also noted that these locations were chosen where there was public need, high visibility and good lighting, plus near water and sewer access to keep installation costs down.
Evan Madden, the president of the Portland Loo division at Madden Fabrication, fabricator of the restrooms, told cleveland.com that with shipping and an extreme cold weather upgrade, Cleveland paid $145,000 per Loo.
In its presentation, Cleveland said the CARES Act Funds disbursed by the Cleveland Foundation were used to purchase the Loos.
Madden said the city contacted them after learning about Portland Loo restroom locations in Cincinnati. He said there are over 300 Loo locations across the country. And since each city has its own ADA compliance code, the Loos are made to order.
“I find there‘s variations and interpretations of the code that don’t allow me to build one consistent design. So, it’s really understanding what makes it ADA compliant in that city and then delivering it in that configuration,” Madden said.
After being fully assembled, the Loos are shipped on a flatbed truck and are loaded on the foundation using a crane with Madden noting that they are flushable and usable after about a half-day of work.
The presentation said that in addition to easy installation, the Loos are energy efficient, costs less than a port-a-potty and can sustain daily volume of usage comparable to airport restrooms.
“Downtown areas become the draw for the public to go and enjoy,” he said. “Portland Loos can withstand a high use and abuse scenario for downtowns that not many other restrooms can replicate.”
