Russian & Turkish Bathhouse facade

Interview with Bill Spectar and Sara the front desk worker

Russian & Turkish Bathhouse check in area The Russian and Turkish Baths is a relaxing world of steamy rooms within the basement of a tenement building on the Lower East Side. The saunas beckon users into its warm sanctuary, accompanied by amenities that include a refreshing cold pool for a revitalizing contrast. Beyond the heat and cool plunge, the facility has a café serving Russian cuisine and beverages, massage rooms, locker rooms, and beds for naps. Opened since 1892, the Russian and Turkish Baths have remained popular through the ages. Bathhouses used to be ubiquitous in NYC, which came out of the need to keep clean during the 19th century before most tenement buildings had hot water. There was a lore that during its prime, this bathhouse was the hangout for gangsters to talk in saunas; they hired deaf masseurs. But as the decades passed, surrounding bathhouses closed down, particularly during the AIDS during the AIDS crisis when the City forcibly shut down gay bathhouses in 1985, a move that was quite controversial. But this 124 year old bath house has stood tall and continues to grow by opening up to new demographics through Groupon deals while still maintaining humble traditions for the old Russian men who have been going to this one bathhouse since childhood. This cultural token has played a key part in uniting the past and present New Yorkers. More bathhouses could foster new community connections, reaching out to younger generations who could continue the ongoing ritual of soaking, chatting, and decompressing.

Russian & Turkish Bathhouse Redwood room The traditional bathhouse culture, once an affordable haven for personal hygiene, has lost its accessibility to most communities. While inflation may contribute to this shift, a $60-day pass is impractical for those lacking consistent hot water access or seeking regular baths without straining apartment utilities, which contradicts its original purpose of creating an inclusive bath commons for all. Revitalizing the bathhouse culture in the modern era should prioritize affordability as part of wellness, ensuring individuals to indulge in a thoroughly enjoyable bathing experience without financial concerns.

Russian & Turkish Bathhouse Russian Room Questions: Would you be interested in going to a public bathhouse? Why or why not? If so, do you think inclusivity and affordability is important? what price point for a public bathhouse strikes the right balance between affordability for customers and sustaining the business?

Russian & Turkish Bathhouse Ice cold Pool

Grand Army Plaza Automatic Public Toilet exterior

Grand Army Plaza Automatic Public Toilet exterior Initiated in 2006 under the Bloomberg administration, the Automatic Cleaning Toilet project aimed for the installation of 20 automatic public toilets citywide, but only 5 have been installed, with the rest stored in Queens. There is high pressure to deploy the remaining automatic toilets, especially considering they have already been procured by the city. Amid bureaucratic delays, the scarcity of accessible restrooms worsens, leading to makeshift solutions and compromising dignity and depriving those who need it most (unhoused people) the right to relieve oneself in private. One of these toilet units has been placed in Brooklyn on Flatbush Avenue. These facilities feature advanced amenities like climate control and wheelchair accessibility in compliance with ADA standards, aiming to enhance public accessibility by costing only 25 cents for 15 minutes. These toilets could serve as essential hubs for individuals experiencing homelessness, offering a clean, warm and safe space. The Adams administration attributes installation delays to Covid, but the lack of further commentary raises concerns about prioritizing the needs of the homeless population or general bathroom accessibility. Ideally, numerous automatic toilets should be strategically installed in high-traffic areas but also near homeless shelter zones to serve the basic needs of all people. This ensures that everyone can access restroom facilities without encountering steep costs, such as buying a water bottle to obtain a bathroom code. Perhaps a QR code payment option can be integrated to the bathroom’s facade as a growing number of individuals no longer carry physical change. The goal is to provide a comfortable and accessible bathroom experience around the clock.

Grand Army Plaza Automatic Public Toilet payment Questions: Where do you go to use the bathroom if you are not near home? What are the impacts of no public bathrooms upon homeless people? Do you think we have a "right to pee" in private? why or why not?

Grand Army Plaza Automatic Public Toilet Interior

Grand Army Plaza Automatic Public Toilet Interior

Allen St Public Bathroom Exterior Situated at a bustling intersection of Allen Street and Delancey, there exists a former public restroom that was constructed as part of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a program initiated by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1935 to address unemployment and building infrastructure during the Great Depression, with Robert Moses at the head of design. This bathroom retains much of its original detail, with preserved features such as carved gender signs above the entrances and light sconces. Additionally, the New York State seal relief is prominently displayed between these signs. However, defunding for public restrooms started after NYC avoided bankruptcy in 1975 in part by making budget cuts to public restrooms. Then in the 1980s, public bathrooms had gained an unsavory reputation as sites of drug use, vandalism, disease and sexual encounters. Security concerns after the 9/11 terrorist attacks led to further closures, and then COVID wiped out many of the remaining public restrooms. There is a need to recontextualize public bathrooms from being unsafe and unclean in order to have them be refunded. We deserve clean and safe public bathrooms.

Allen St Public Bathroom Exterior In March 2016, the city anticipated a redevelopment for the long-vacant Sara Roosevelt Park. Potential alternative uses for the building were considered, including community facility space, a library, a visitor's center, or a restoration to its original purpose as a public bathroom. However, as of 2016, there has been no visible initiative for renovations, and the structure is now completely boarded up behind a high wire fence. The facade has been painted over with graffiti and other street are like a cut out of a person's face. The Allen St Public Bathroom stands as a reminder of a time when city planners prioritized meeting the needs of areas with high foot traffic. Presently, public bathrooms are primarily located in parks under the maintenance responsibility of the Parks and Recreaction facility. Yet, reinstating a dedicated team within the NYC Health Department could not only create additional employment opportunities but also consistently address the need for restroom accessibility across all of NYC. Making janitorial work a dignified job with benefits could help the long term maintenance of public bathrooms more attractive.

Allen St Public Bathroom Exterior Questions: What else would you like to see the Allen St. Bathrooms to be renovated into? What are the community needs? A bathroom again? Coffee shop? Bodega? How might we prevent public bathrooms from being misused while still having it open all day? Should the government support accessible public bathrooms? Why or why not?