Center City’s first public restroom is now open at 15th and Arch. Yes, it’s called ‘the Phlush.’
The name was chosen by more than 8,366 respondents to a health department survey. Another modular “Phlush” station opened in North Philadelphia last month.
Center City’s first public restroom opened on Tuesday, and city officials unveiled the democratically selected name for the city’s growing fleet of stand-alone stalls.
Call it the “Phlush.” Plural: “Phlushes.”
Love it? Hate it? You can thank or blame your fellow Philadelphians.
The Philadelphia Department of Public Health launched what it dubbed a “potty poll” last month, seeking community input on the name of the public restroom at 15th and Arch Streets next to the Municipal Services Building, one of six modular units going up around the city.
The public weighed in to the tune of 8,366 votes by social media and other online surveys. “Phlush” was the decisive winner with nearly 70% of the vote. “Philly Loo” garnered about 20%, while the more plain “Philly Public Restroom” trailed with 10% of respondents.
» READ MORE: Line of duty: Our columnist reviews Phlush, Philly’s first public bathroom in Center City
Managing Director Tumar Alexander said “Philly Jawn” was a popular user submission for a name, but the city opted not to include it in the final poll for fear that it would win and incite too much pushback.
“We were not surprised by Philadelphians’ boos and their own ideas for the name,” Alexander said in a statement. “Some of the suggestions were hilarious and ‘Philly Jawn’ would have won if we had offered it as an option.”
Another unit was installed in North Philadelphia’s Fotterall Square in May and quietly opened to the public this week ahead of an official unveiling on Thursday. The rollout is part of a five-year pilot program that, all told, will bring six Portland Loo-style restrooms to parks and other heavily trafficked locations. All six stand-alone restrooms will bear the Philly-centric name chosen by poll respondents, officials said.
Pioneered by the eponymous Oregon city, Portland Loos offer prefabricated, ADA-compliant, kiosk-like units with graffiti-proof walls and easy-to-clean metal parts. Nearly two dozen cities in the United States and Canada have installed them to date. Philly’s pilot program has an annual budget of $656,864, which includes three full-time staff members that will service and repair the new amenities.
Accessible public restrooms have become increasingly harder to find in the U.S., but recent years have seen a shift in local support for more government-run facilities. Although the public restroom discourse has long revolved around issues of homelessness, substance abuse, and crime, a city survey last year found that “89% of respondents envision a new permanent public restroom as a positive amenity” for the city as a whole.
The Phlush hours at 15th and Arch are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekends. (The Phlush in Fotterall Square is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, and will be locked at 10 p.m. on weekends.)
Residents can learn more about the pilot program and share their thoughts or concerns at the city’s online landing page.