最新蜜桃影像

Many agree Washington鈥檚 lack of public restrooms is a major problem.听

鈥淥ne time, I walked into the restaurant to see a naked person in our bathroom taking, basically, a bath,鈥� Andy Shallal, owner of Busboys and Poets, said. 鈥淵ou can only feel embarrassed for them.鈥澛�

The , a Washington-based advocacy organization, wants to install a 24/7, open-to-all public bathroom facility on the 14th & U Street Corridor.听

If not for the coronavirus pandemic, the city would currently be installing two pilot facilities and implementing a program that incentivizes businesses to make their bathrooms public. But COVID-19 caused the project to get put on hold, said Marcy Bernbaum, an active member of the Coalition.听

The DC Council unanimously passed the in December 2018. The Coalition鈥檚 research inspired this Act, Bernbaum said.听

鈥淭he most obvious [location] is the corner of 14th & U, where the Reeves Center is,鈥� Bernbaum said.听

There are many homeless people, disabled people in need, pedestrians and vehicular traffic in the area, making it one of six locations that the Coalition identified to receive the pilot facility, Bernbaum said.

The Coalition 鈥� which has been advocating to make clean, safe public bathrooms available in needed areas in Washington since 2014 鈥� has a list of strict criteria to search for neighborhoods in need of facilities, Bernbaum said. Among others, the includes good nighttime lighting, heavy traffic and, most importantly, no public restroom nearby.听

But there are only always-open public bathrooms in Washington: at the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials.听

The stand-alone restroom design would be inspired by from Oregon, the Coalition said in its report. Larger and heftier than a port-a-potty, the facility would be safe and easy to clean, Bernbaum said.听

An ideal spot for the facility would be tucked inside a 鈥渃ourtyard-type space鈥� in front of the Reeves Center, said Robin Shuster, director of the 14th&U Farmers鈥� Market.听

鈥淲ho wants to see faces in the flower beds outside the Reeves Center? Or smell urine?鈥� Shuster said. 鈥淭his obviously wouldn鈥檛 just be for homeless people, but I think they鈥檇 be the most impacted by the facility.鈥澛�

The Reeves Center鈥檚 undetermined future could throw a wrench in this plan, Shuster said, as residents don鈥檛 know if the building will be slightly renovated or completely demolished in coming years. The NAACP in June to use the Center as its new national headquarters, and Mayor Muriel Bowser said to expect demolition, Washingtonian .听

Since the Corridor may undergo major construction in the near future, the Office of Planning is reimagining the space. The office recently began asking residents through an how they want the space 鈥� specifically the plaza in front of the Reeves Center 鈥� to be used.听

鈥淭he survey didn鈥檛 ask people if they鈥檇 want a public bathroom on the plaza, but it should have,鈥� Shuster said.

Next, Bowser will create a working group 鈥� which will consist of nine government agencies, three nonprofit organizations and an expert in city planning 鈥� to gather information and determine the best location for the facility. This will be done through meetings, public comment and a survey, said Keith A. Anderson, director of the Department of General Services.听

Bernbaum anticipates this process beginning at the end of the month, she said.听

鈥淚’d advocate for 14th and U because I’m there all the time and know they鈥檙e in need of that facility,鈥� Dan Winston, commissioner for ANC1B12, which includes 14th & U Street, said. 鈥淏ut I’d hate to advocate for something in exclusion with the rest of the city. We should be able to find the resources to create a more inclusive and accessible city.鈥澛�

Some European cities 鈥� like and 鈥� have public bathrooms as part of their cities鈥� sanitation programs. Shuster, who lives in France for part of each year, said the self-sanitizing toilets make the city cleaner and more welcoming.听

The pandemic makes this project more difficult, as sanitation and hygiene are one of the top concerns.听

鈥淚 can鈥檛 imagine why 14th & U businesses would be opposed, but the key is going to be making sure the facility is maintained,鈥� Shallal said. 鈥淚t has to come with a full maintenance schedule and program. What business would prefer people urinating on their sidewalk as opposed to using a facility? And I鈥檝e seen worse than urination.鈥澛�

The Department of General Services will $270,000 for two stand-alone facilities and $64,000 to support custodial staff and maintenance costs. Funding will continue for five years once the project can begin, Bernbaum said.

Winston, Shuster and Shallal all said they don鈥檛 believe local businesses on the U Street Corridor are aware of the initiative and the Coalition鈥檚 push to bring a public restroom to their area. Shuster was unaware of the project until she was approached by 最新蜜桃影像 for an interview.听

There are two reasons why local businesses are in the dark about this project, Winston said: the location is still being considered, and the pandemic has made communication about neighborhood issues difficult.听

鈥淭here鈥檚 a difference between walking into a store and saying 鈥楬ey, something鈥檚 happening, what do you think?鈥� and emailing someone to say 鈥楬ey, do you want to jump on a Zoom call with me to talk about this thing that may or may not happen?鈥欌�� Winston said.听