At the February 13 City Council meeting, council members approved resolutions authorizing the City Manager to execute contracts for the purchase and installation of a prefabricated restroom outside of the Rankin Avenue garage.
Stakeholder groups including homeless service providers, downtown businesses, local residents, the Asheville Downtown Association, Downtown Commission, and tourism/hospitality sector representatives have long advocated for additional access to well-maintained public restroom facility.
The restroom project was supported by local businesses and non-profit agencies and received letters of support from the Asheville Downtown Association (ADA) and BeLoved before the submission of an ARPA funding application. That funding was approved for the project in spring 2022. Community members were engaged through Concept Preferences public meetings as well as an online survey.
The construction of the facility, along with improvements to the Rankin and College parklet such as landscaping and area security cameras, create not only additional facilities in downtown Asheville but also an opportunity to enhance the aesthetics, function, and public safety of the area for the whole community.
Benefits to the community:
- The Downtown Restroom Project helps to address downtown cleanliness and safety challenges by providing additional downtown restroom access. The location of the restroom is near high-traffic areas and replaces a portable restroom that has been in the parklet at the corner of College and Rankin since 2020.
- The improvements to the parklet and the durability of the prefabricated restroom unit will create a more secure environment and lessen restroom downtime.
- Providing additional (24/7) restroom access is anticipated to improve health and safety conditions downtown
- Expectation that this will reduce biological waste on sidewalks and properties
- The addition of this unit does not preclude the re-opening of restrooms or the installation of other freestanding restrooms.
Cleanliness
- Park Maintenance will monitor and be available to clean 7 days/week 7:00 am to 3:00pm
- The initial cleaning frequency will start with 2 cleanings per day by Parks Maintenance:
- Supplies will be checked
- Surfaces will be wiped down and disinfected
- Trash will be picked up
- A general maintenance check will be performed
- The frequency of cleaning will be adjusted according to the needs
- Responsive cleaning during working hours will be possible
Security
Security will be supplemented with routine afterhours checks by the new garage security contractor
Next Steps:
Construction of the project is slated to begin in Spring 2024
Learn more about the facility and project background