Volume control: high-traffic restroom design

Building Operating Management, Jan 2005 by Windle, Lynn Proctor

Stover says he's not sure why there is no hot water in the restrooms. He suspects it was a cost saving measure or was in some way related to the stadium's design as an outdoor venue. Either way, it's an example of the many challenges he faces in managing costs and maximizing performance of the outdated restrooms.

Such challenges have forced Stover to be creative. To tackle the lack of hot water, the stadium will start providing waterless hand cleaners.

But that doesn't address the biggest challenges Stover faces: long lines and accessibility for people with disabilities.

"Even though there have been upgrades here and there, and the restrooms are functional, they can't always handle crowds," Stover says. "There are very long lines."

At least 13 states have the so-called "potty parity" laws, which require major sports and entertainment venues to provide more restroom facilities for woman than for men. Even though Giants Stadium isn't subject to such laws, Stover knows why they exist.

In August 2003, Bonjovi closed its world tour with two sold-oul concerts at Giants Stadium. The audience was overwhelmingly female. To keep restroom lines moving, some men's restrooms were temporarily converted to woman's restrooms, with signage and draped urinals.

MAKING IT LAST

Life-cycle cost is the most compelling factor in Stover's decisions. "We want to make sure that what we buy lasts a long time," Stover says. "For example, if we're looking at partitions, we want to make sure that they're durable and not susceptible to vandalism as compared to something cheaper."

Concern about potential problems is one reason the stadium hasn't installed touchless fixtures. Stover fears the retrofits on toilets, urinals and sinks could lead to more problems than the originally installed equipment.

With discussions underway to build a new $700 million stadium, it's possible that Giants Stadium will never have the amenities of a 21st Century restroom.

That's fine with Stover. He has already put together his wish list for the next stadium. Beyond the obvious code requirements, performance is the top of the list. Stover would like to have restrooms that move fans through lines with minimal wait times, even for sold-out events. To accomplish this goal, Stover says he would like to build auxiliary restrooms between men's and women's facilities that could be opened one way or another to accommodate the crowd according to gender.

After all, when Bonjovi is on stage or the Giants have first and goal, restroom performance is defined by how much fans see of the event, not the restroom itself.

BY LYNN PROCTOR WINDLE, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Lynn Proctor Windle, a contributing editor for Building Operating Management, is a freelance writer who has written extensively about real estate.

E-mail comments and questions to edward.sullivan@tradepress.com.