Philadelphia officials must think the city is too classy for the average Porta-Potty.
A state-of-the art public toilet, manufactured by the German-based Wall Corp., was recently installed outside of City Hall, and more may be on the way.
Among the toilet's unique features is its ability to clean itself with high-pressure water jets in just 50 seconds after each use, said Wall USA Inc. President Martin McDonough.
But high-tech toilets come at a price, and some residents say it isn't worth the $250,000 cost.
Philadelphia resident Burdie Force, who said he read about the toilet and wanted to check it out for himself, said he thinks the public toilet is an excuse for the city to close off bathrooms inside City Hall.
"I think it's a bunch of bullcrap," he said. "It's sad that public buildings aren't open to citizens of Philadelphia."
Still, Wall USA Inc.'s toilets are undoubtedly more sanitary than the average public portable bathroom.
"I didn't have to touch anything," Philadelphia resident Jonathan Dowd said upon exiting.
The toilet costs $0.25 to use and has two pay phones attached to its exterior.
Wall USA focuses solely on designing "street furniture" such as public toilets, bus shelters and advertising pillars. Cities including Boston and St. Louis are home to several of the company's custom-designed toilets.
Philadelphia's toilet is on temporary loan from Boston, McDonough said, because the city is unsure whether it wants to purchase any yet.
Some are adamantly opposed to the initiative, saying that adding street furniture to the Philadelphia landscape could negatively affect the city's aesthetic appeal, said Mary Tracy, executive director of the Society Created to Reduce Urban Blight.
She said the public toilets may be "used as a ruse to clutter streets with more advertising," adding that citizens need more-specific information from the city about the goals of the initiative.
The bathroom has four large panels for advertisements on its exterior.
But McDonough said he thinks the city has a need for public toilets.
"Philadelphia has tremendous potential for street furniture," he said.
The city's Department of Public Property did not return calls for comment.
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