Think your bathroom breaks are worth $1 million? New York City just opened its first modular public restrooms – and each one cost taxpayers seven figures. Here’s why, and what it means for the future of public bathrooms in NYC.

New York City has officially opened its first modular public bathrooms with a price tag that is making national news.

The city’s new “Portland Loo” units, a sleek stand-alone stainless-steel restrooms that are designed to be durable, accessible, and low-maintenance. Fives of these Portland Loos have been installed across all five boroughs. But each unit, once accounting for electrical, plumbing, and site prep, has cost roughly $1 million. A fact that has drawn both praise and criticism from residents, advocates, and watchdogs.

“This isn’t just about convenience. It’s about dignity,” said Council Member Rita Joseph, a longtime advocate for public restroom access. “New Yorkers have waited too long to be able to count on finding a clean, open restroom when they need it.”

Why These Bathrooms Matter

Have you ever found yourself in need to go, but the park bathroom is locked, restraunts only let in paying customers, and home is just too far?

New York City has long struggled with restroom access. According to a 2023 report by City Comptroller Brad Lander, the city has just one public restroom per every 7,800 residents — far fewer than comparable global cities like Paris or Tokyo. Many existing facilities are hidden inside parks, with limited hours, poor signage, or in disrepair.

The lack of restrooms affects gig workers, tourists, families, seniors, and the unhoused. It’s also a sanitation issue. Urination and defecation in public spaces has prompted health concerns and calls for reform for decades.

The city’s “Ur In Luck” initiative, introduced under Mayor Eric Adams, is the most ambitious restroom effort in decades. It plans to install 46 new bathrooms and renovate 36 others by 2029, prioritizing high-foot-traffic corridors like Broadway, Jamaica Avenue, and Fordham Road.

The Million-Dollar Toilet Controversy

So how does a single unit cost $1 million?

While the base cost of a Portland Loo is around $185,000, installation in New York can involve complex groundwork, including sewer tie-ins, ADA compliance, electrical work, and sidewalk reconstruction. Bureaucratic red tape and construction regulations inflate the price — an issue common to most city infrastructure projects.

Critics have voiced concern over the cost, with Bushwick resident Tiv Adler telling amNY, “That frustrates me. I wish we could reallocate that money to more resources for the public.”

On the other hand, residents like Maria from East Harlem expressed relief, telling amNY, “This place needed it. I couldn’t use the temporary ones. They were dirty, and I didn’t feel safe.”

The city argues the modular restrooms are still more cost-effective and faster to build than traditional park bathrooms, which can cost $3–5 million and take years to complete.

The Loo

Portland Loo was designed by the City of Portland and architectural firm Miller Hull. They had designed the Loo with functionality and to fit into urban land structure. With key features like and open design – to have natural air flow to reduce oder and need to mechanical ventilation; high durability to stand extreme weather and heavy duty features; it is accessible for all, easy to maintain proper hygiene , and private enough to do your business, but also visible to monitor suspicious activity.

Policy Momentum and Skepticism

In April, the New York City Council passed legislation requiring the Department of Parks and Department of City Planning to study how to reach 2,100 public restrooms by 2035, but was stopped short of allocating new funding.

Advocates like Council member Sandy Nurse argue that prefab restrooms are a viable path forward, but city permitting and cost overruns remain major hurdles.

Others worry about long-term maintenance and security. While the Portland Loo design includes features to discourage misuse (like angled louvers for visibility and ventilation), some fear the city lacks the resources to keep them clean and operational.

What’s Next for NYC’s Bathroom Network?

The city is piloting five Portland Loo units now, located in parks in Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. Early results will determine if more are installed under the mayor’s “Vital Parks for All” plan, which pledges $150 million in upgrades by 2029.

Technological improvements are also underway: the new units are equipped with climate controls, baby-changing stations, and anti-graffiti coating. Some may eventually integrate real-time availability data into apps like Google Maps layer that can be activated on your phone or 311.

The Final Flush

New York City’s $1 million bathrooms may be costly but for many, they represent a long-overdue investment in urban infrastructure and public dignity. Whether this initiative marks a true turning point in restroom equity will depend not just on access, but upkeep, expansion, and follow-through.

One thing is clear: New Yorkers are no longer holding it in.