New York City has started installing 17 free, high‑tech public restrooms across all five boroughs as part of a $4 million pilot. The modular, ADA‑accessible units — installed and maintained by Throne Labs — feature touchless fixtures, climate control, baby‑changing stations and app‑based access with live cleanliness ratings. Units will operate daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. during the one‑year trial, with locations including Yankee Stadium, Cooper Square and multiple sites across the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and Staten Island.
NYC Begins Installing 17 Free High‑Tech Public Restrooms — Near Yankee Stadium, Cooper Square & More
Photograph: Shutterstock
Finding a clean public bathroom in New York City has long involved strategic coffee purchases or a dash for hotel lobbies. Relief is on the way: Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that installation has begun on 17 free, high‑tech public restrooms across all five boroughs.
The units are part of a $4 million pilot program first revealed in January. The city selected Throne Labs to install, operate and maintain the modular bathrooms — similar fixtures already in use in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Seattle, Atlanta and Detroit.
Each ADA‑accessible unit is fully touchless and includes a flushing toilet, running‑water sink, climate control and a baby‑changing station. The restrooms will be open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. during the one‑year pilot.
Access is managed by multiple convenient methods: visitors can send a text message, scan a QR code, use the Throne Bathroom Network app or tap a physical access card distributed by community organizations. The app also shows real‑time availability, provides directions to the nearest unit and displays up‑to‑date cleanliness ratings so users can check conditions before they go.
Because the modules are self‑contained and do not require direct connections to the city's water, sewer or electrical systems, they can be installed, relocated or removed more easily than conventional public restrooms. Throne Labs will handle regular cleaning and maintenance throughout the pilot year.
Photograph: Courtesy of the Office of the MayorNew New York City public restrooms.
Planned Locations
Bronx: Yankee Stadium, Admiral Farragut Playground, Mapes Park, Monsignor Raul Del Valle Square.
Brooklyn: Columbus Park, Milestone Park, the Fulton & Truxton Streets junction, and Avenue C Plaza.
Queens: Two locations along Northern Boulevard, Astoria Boulevard South at 31st Street, and 34th Avenue at 64th Street.
Manhattan: Cooper Square, Malcolm X Plaza, the intersection of Delancey and Suffolk Streets, and Plaza Alianza Dominicana.
Staten Island: North Shore Esplanade.
“Too many New Yorkers know what it's like to have nowhere to go while they're on the go,” Mamdani said. “We are going to learn from this pilot and build a public bathroom network that meets the needs of New Yorkers in every borough.”
This pilot aims to improve everyday comfort and street‑level accessibility across the city — and for once, you may not have to buy a $7 coffee to use a restroom.
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