10. The Park Bathrooms Are Landmarked
There may be no other public bathroom in the world with so many accolades as the one in Bryant Park. The 315-square-foot stone structure that houses the bathrooms is one of two buildings designed by Carrere and Hastings at the west end of the raised terrace behind the library to serve as comfort stations. Opened with the library in 1911, one of the buildings now serves as storage. The historic bathroom building is included in Bryant Park’s New York City landmark designation.
Secrets of Bryant Park Tour
The bathrooms were temporarily closed later in the 1900s when drug dealers and criminals were the most frequent visitors to the park. They were opened in the early 1990s after renovations. Another renovation, costing $300,000, took place in 2017. Inside the bathrooms, park visitors will be greeted by fresh flowers, classic music, and a bathroom attendant. The new renovation brought in a slew of new efficiencies such as quieter hand dryers, faster soap dispensing soap dispensers, and more durable tiles that are easier for staff to clean. There are just three stalls for women and two for men inside since the landmarked structure can’t be expanded. The New York Times reported that lines to use the bathrooms sometimes stretch to 40 people long! The bathrooms themselves are an attraction of the park.