Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 11th April 2024 Issue no. 1109
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Cintas reveals America's Best Restroom contest 2020 finalists: time to vote!
Readers have until 19th October to vote for your favourite out of the 10 finalists just announced in Cintas Corporation’s 2020 America's Best Restroom contest – now in its 19th year of celebrating innovative and hygienic public toilet facilities across the US.
"This year's contest recognises a wide range of finalists, each offering a one-of-a-kind experience with the latest technology or imaginative decor," says Sean Mulcahey, marketing manager, Cintas.
"As the pandemic has brought the importance of clean restrooms to the forefront, we're proud to spotlight these unique and well-maintained facilities that provide comfortable spaces for guests."
The 2020 America's Best Restroom Finalists include:
• AirTrain JFK'S Jamaica Station - New York, NY… The new, spacious facilities at AirTrain JFK's Jamaica Station are equipped with modern designs and are nearly three times as large as the previous ones, with wider cubicles to account for travellers' luggage. Both men's and women's rooms are equipped with changing tables for families travelling with small children. In addition, the Port Authority has added a spacious family-friendly washroom to provide more options for those traveling with family members of all ages.
• Bancroft Park - Colorado Springs, Colorado (pictured)… What citizens always want in parks is a washroom that's clean, which is why the Bancroft Park self-cleaning washroom is the perfect solution. The facility holds three restrooms, including an ADA-compliant option, and each comes with green, red and yellow lights to show availability. Soap, water, toilet tissue and a dryer are all activated with the wave of a hand. The restrooms are set up to self-clean after every 30 uses, and a park maintenance supervisor is alerted via an app when toilet paper or other supplies are running low.
• DFW Airport - DFW Airport, Texas… DFW Airport integrated smart restroom technology into all of its gate-side washrooms to include aesthetically pleasing fixtures, touch free dispensing, consumable tracking, and other smart features, allowing staff to operate on demand, rather than a time-scheduled approach for making sure the facilities are cleaned and well stocked. Digital signage outside each washroom tells guests how many stalls are open and when cleaning is in progress; indicator lights inside let them know which stalls are available. These features will help with social distancing efforts during the ongoing pandemic, as well as provide data for the cleaning staff to efficiently manage increased cleaning protocols.
• Gaslight Bar & Grill - Cincinnati, Ohio… The washrooms in Gaslight Bar & Grill are a mix of classic and new, like the restaurant and the former library in Clifton, OH. Classic Bianco Onion marble tiles on the walls compliment the white/grey flower mosaic tile floor in the women's washroom and the large scale dark grey stone floor tile in the men's restroom. Copper flecked stone-like sink counters, bevelled glass mirrors, as well as gold wallpaper and wall sconce lights add sparkle. Contrasts of black iron details and custom wood partitions and doors provide classic world touches. Touchless faucets and bins are sleek and hygienic combining the best of modern and classic. The mix of materials, textures and details reflect the attention given by the owners and chef to the Gaslight Bar & Grill.
• Greeley Square Park - New York, New York… Situated in Greeley Square Park and named for the American newspaper editor and publisher and politician Horace Greeley, the park's washroom takes standalone outdoor facilities to new heights. Built and maintained by the 34th Street Partnership, a non-profit business improvement district, the Greeley washroom hosts hundreds of visitors daily, including local workers, tourists, and shoppers. The facility was renovated in January 2019 and its amenities include historic photographs, classical music, rotating seat covers, a full-time attendant, Italian tile, fresh flowers and an HVAC system for seasonal climate control.
• Kimpton Muse Hotel - New York, New York… The facilities at the Kimpton Muse Hotel allow guests and diners at the adjacent Muse Bar to pick a stall according to their personality or mood. There are six ‘sin-inspired’ unisex stalls, each with a different theme and jaw-dropping design scheme: Glam, Vain, Rebel, Passion, Macho, and Envy. Upon entering the white washroom area - meant to represent purgatory - each stall opens directly into a common lounge area designed accordingly to its name.
• Portland Japanese Garden - Portland, Oregon… Portland Japanese Garden's facility strikes the perfect balance between practical and beautiful. Located in the Jordan Schnitzer Japanese Arts Learning Center, all materials in the restroom - from the texture of the tiles to the design of the fixtures - were chosen for their standalone beauty, as well as functional works of art. These understated shaped and forms are aligned with the Japanese aesthetic of minimalism and with the qualities of a Japanese garden, which helps the mind and body feel serene and tranquil, even in the most vulnerable state of being.
• Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts - Scottsdale, Arizona… The Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts is accustomed to standing ovations for the world-class artists who grace its stage each season, but a 2005 renovation of its washrooms has likewise earned rave reviews. Designed by award-winning Scottsdale architect John Douglas, the centre's upgraded washrooms are sleek and modern with terrazzo flooring, glass-tiled walls and a generous number of spacious, stainless-steel stalls that offer maximum privacy. Both men's and women's areas are fully accessible and feature changing stations. An ingenious lighting system can be custom programmed for certain demographics or holidays such as LGBTQ events. Mindful of the Centre's arid setting, the facility includes environmentally friendly, low-flow faucets and toilets to conserve water.
• Swift's Attic - Austin, Texas… Built to be comfortable yet exciting, the Swift's Attic washrooms are designed to accent the space's natural historic beauty and character while bringing modern elements and conveniences to its guests. The Gothic-style facilities feature floral-patterned sinks, antique light fixtures and gold and black striped wallpaper.
• The Guild Hotel - San Diego, California… The building originally opened in 1924 and served as the Army/Navy YMCA but was reborn in 2019 as The Guild Hotel. The washrooms, located conveniently off the lobby space, provide guests with a clean and welcoming experience. The beautiful marble sink in both the men's and women's washrooms have a stunning visual appeal. This, coupled with the tastefully decorated lighting and mirror, will welcome any smile.
The 10 finalists were selected based on cleanliness, visual appeal, innovation, functionality and unique design elements. The winner will be honoured with a place in the America's Best Restroom Hall of Fame and receive a Cintas UltraClean washroom cleaning service and $2,500 in facility services or washroom cleaning from Cintas.
Last year, the America's Best Restroom award went to the Nashville Zoo for featuring two innovative exhibits. The men's Entry Village washroom is home to a Boelen's python, while the women's facility in Expedition Peru is home to the Zoo's family of six cotton-top tamarins; a critically endangered primate species from South America.
Vote for your favourite restroom at:
1st October 2020