Pretty Poopers

On July 7, the Ocean Beach Planning Board unanimously voted to approve designs for a new “comfort station” in northern Ocean Beach, near the corner of Brighton Avenue and Spray Street. Point Loma architect Kevin deFreitas spent nearly an hour before the board presenting the plan, which has already been reviewed by the City for maintenance and engineering standards.

The new bathrooms are estimated to cost about $480,000. They’ll feature five women’s stalls, two men’s stalls (and two urinals), and three outdoor showers. Additional features include seven bike racks, upgrades to access ramps for ADA compliance, and solar panels intended to provide 100 percent of the energy needed to power the facility, including its LED lighting system.

Numerous art installations are planned for the facility, including local media quotes that will be etched into the ceilings in six-inch-tall lettering. The south side of the facility, where the men’s room will be located, will be finished in gray concrete. Construction plans for the ladies’ side — facing north toward the parking lot — will include blue glazed block.

“Well, it appears this will be the landmark building in O.B. for some time,” commented one boardmember.

In the coming weeks, the design will be submitted for review by the California Coastal Commission. Permitting could take up to six months, but the current target is to have the building complete by summer 2011, when it would replace the port-a-potties that have stood in since the old 1964 structure was demolished last year.