Part four in a nine-part series on the proposed town green on Railroad Avenue.
Early in the process of considering needs for a town green in Downtown Tucker was the need for restrooms. As the downtown core continues to generate more activity, the strain on restrooms maintained by private property owners continues to grow. In conversations with business owners, the question was asked regularly, Could restrooms be part of the future town green? Could they be designed in a way and in a location that would not obscure the view? The answer to both questions is yes.
As the City Council was considering the option to purchase the property on Railroad Avenue in the latter half of 2021, the Tucker-Northlake CID was working with Lord Aeck Sargent to develop a concept for restrooms. Restrooms with multiple stalls and sinks that could be secured after hours, like all park restrooms, and designed in a way that would be an attractive fit on the property. The question was where should it be?
It turns out that just south of the trail the current grade of the property creates an opportunity to build restrooms recessed on one side. This is similar to a daylight basement. Doing so lowers the profile of the building. With one end lower than the other, it makes the roof accessible. What should you do with an accessible roof? Create a terrace and put people on it.
Good ideas seldom exist in a vacuum. This same idea was in the minds of those who designed the restrooms at Rodney Cook Sr. Park in Vine City.
Without the benefit of the hillside, roof top access in Vine City takes up a larger area than would be needed in Tucker.
Public restrooms located on the northeast corner of the town green, at the intersection of two alleys, and close to Main Street will be a tremendous benefit to Downtown Tucker. Making them attractive, so they don’t look like restrooms, and making use of the space on the roof would be an added benefit. No matter how well you plan, waiting to get home to use the restroom isn’t always realistic. Having a secure, well lit, and well-maintained restroom building will be an asset for years to come.
[Please note that the images on this site related to the town green are for discussion purposes only. A final design has not been selected by the City Council. The Council is expected to make a decision on implementation later this year following the inclusion of additional public input and recommendations from Barge Design Solutions.]