The first of the new street toilets are coming in June, and each City Council member is supposed to nominate two sites in his or her district. But not all politicians covet an advertisement-flashing latrine requiring 80 square feet of sidewalk in their backyard. “There isn’t really an appropriate Upper East Side location that leaps to mind,” says Councilwoman Jessica Lappin, whose district extends from East 49th to 92nd Streets. Harlem councilwoman Melissa Mark Viverito says she’s concerned about people taking drugs in them. (Doors open automatically after a certain amount of time to guard against “uncouth activity.”) But Councilwoman Gale Brewer, who hopes for a Columbus Circle loo, says, “When I heard some council members don’t want them, I said, ‘Oh, great, more for my district!’ ” The Department of Transportation is eyeing the east side of Madison Square Park for the first site and Fordham Road for the second. Council members have until January 31 to submit their recommendations for the remaining outhouses.

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• Archive: “Intelligencer”
• Articles by Arianne Cohen
• Table of Contents: Feb 5, 2007 issue of New York | Subscribe!