The Throne report: A look inside the neighborhood's new public toilets

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

The city's new public bathrooms arrived in the area this past week— on Delancey Street and Cooper Square. 

The solar-powered bathrooms, operated by a company called (heh) Throne, were installed Thursday afternoon as part of the city's effort to expand access to public restrooms. 

The two locations — at Delancey and Suffolk streets and Cooper Square — are part of a $4 million, one-year pilot program that will bring 17 public bathrooms to neighborhoods across the city. 

Here's a look at the Delancey outpost.

The bathrooms are free to use and open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. 

And the early reviews from the people maintaining them? So far, so good. 

I found workers stationed at both locations, ready to clean and maintain the facilities. The bathrooms themselves were immaculate.

Here's how they work: Users scan a QR code and send a text to unlock the door. Those without a phone can get an access card from local community partners.

Once inside, you have 10 minutes to take care of business. Instructions are provided in English and Spanish, with warnings at the five-minute and two-minute marks.

New free public Throne toilets have arrived at two locations in the East Village and LES of Manhattan: a video from inside, with a surprise warning announcement https://t.co/ioYqkeGYry

— Stacie Joy (@Joy_of_photos) October 30, 2026

As time runs out, flashing lights and an increasingly urgent message remind users to finish up and exit.

And we do mean URGENT (we're calling this the Throne Ultimatum) ...

New Throne toilets have arrived in Manhattan's East Village and LES. This is the "time's up, doors about to open" warning when your 10-minute time slot's due to expire https://t.co/pEdT6CFBe4

— Stacie Joy (@Joy_of_photos) October 30, 2026

There's also a warning if someone attempts to enter behind another user. 

The bathrooms feature touchless controls, free menstrual products, baby-changing stations and sharps-disposal containers. Other features include smoke detectors, accessibility ramps, anti-graffiti materials and information on where to seek medical assistance.

According to the company, staff clean the facilities after about every 11 to 15 uses. 

I also got a look inside the cleaning closet, where supplies are stored.

The workers travel between locations on scooters to service the bathrooms. 

The cleaners said they had encountered no problems at either new local location. Both also independently mentioned that the Throne bathrooms have been particularly popular with MTA bus drivers, who often have difficulty finding public restrooms along their routes. 

The workers said sharps containers at some other locations have filled up, though they do not handle their contents themselves. 

Throne co-founder and COO Jess Heinzelman explained the company's approach to public restrooms at a recent Community Board 3 meeting.

"We are toilet nerds at our core," Heinzelman told board members. 

And for anyone wondering how the new facilities are holding up after their first days, the initial report from Delancey Street and Cooper Square (below) is encouraging: clean, functioning and staffed by workers keeping a close eye on things.