ASHEVILLE – A small downtown parklet will get a refresh this spring, including new lighting, landscaping and a 24/7 public restroom, replacing the barren mulch and lone port-a-potty at the corner of Rankin Avenue and College Street.
Asheville City Council approved $183,620 for site enhancements and installation of the “prefabricated restroom unit” at its Feb. 13 meeting, with a contingency amount of $46,724. It also authorized $170,760 for purchase of the restroom itself — made by the manufacturer of the “Portland Loo,” a free-standing, graffiti-proof, open-air bathroom made popular in its city namesake.
The total for both contracts is $401,104. Funding was approved in a 5-1 vote. Council member Sage Turner was not physically in attendance and did not vote, though she called into the meeting via phone. Antanette Mosley was the only no-vote.
The restroom will be funded with $650,000 in American Rescue Plan Act dollars allocated for the project in May 2022. It is specifically intended to help serve the city’s unhoused population, according to the initial staff proposal, and to address downtown “cleanliness and safety challenges” by providing additional downtown restroom access.