High-tech toilets land in downtown Detroit
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Throne bathrooms downtown near Campus Martius. Photos: Joe Guillen/Axios
Downtown welcomed two high-tech public bathrooms last week as part of a pilot project prioritizing cleanliness and more luxurious, free facilities.
Why it matters: Finding a clean, accessible public toilet downtown can be a hassle, since businesses often restrict use of their private restrooms.
State of play: Throne Labs, out of Washington D.C., worked with the Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP) to install two of the company's bathrooms in Cadillac Square.
- They have flushing toilets, running water sinks, decorative wallpaper and baby changing stations.
What they're saying: The new Thrones will help raise the bar for downtown's public restrooms, Eric Larson, CEO of the DDP, said in a statement.
- "From food truck festivals to fitness classes, access to clean, safe restrooms is a key part of creating a welcoming environment."
- Throne is providing and servicing the bathrooms at no cost to the DDP during the pilot, Larson tells Axios.
🧻 Joe's thought bubble: My recent Throne visit was a success. The facilities were spotless and easy to use.
- I scanned the QR code on the door and was prompted to send a text. The door automatically opened right after pressing send.
- The toilet flushed with the appropriate strength and the faucet worked perfectly.
How it works: Each bathroom has 21 sensors that track cleanliness and usage. Thrones use solar power and don't need a water or sewer line.
- Cleaning teams monitor sensor data and user feedback to prioritize their operations, Throne COO Jessica Heinzelman tells Axios.
- "That's one of the biggest selling points — we are able to keep it nice," she says.
- Users are given an anonymous ID and their data is only used for Throne's internal operations, Heinzelman says.
- For those without phones, Throne works with its partner cities to provide entry cards.
Zoom out: Detroit's the third Michigan city to try Throne, joining Ann Arbor and Royal Oak.
- In D.C., the program is on hold due to funding issues, upsetting neighborhood organizations and public officials.
If you go: Detroit's toilets are open 24 hours a day.
- The hours in Royal Oak are 7am–10pm, but could change based on usage, the Free Press reports.
What's next: The DDP and Throne will collect data and community feedback through mid-August to decide whether to continue the pilot.
- The DDP could take over cleaning duties from Throne if the project is extended, per the Freep.