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Brighton Beach Residents: Restroom Buildings Must Go

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Residents of a luxury condominium complex in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn protested Monday against ongoing plans for elevated restroom facilities across the boardwalk.

As 1010 WINS' Al Jones reported, U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) joined residents in a call on the Department of Parks and Recreation to halt construction of a two-story modular comfort station across from the Oceana complex.

Brighton Beach Residents: Restroom Facility Construction Must Stop

"A place where people essentially relieve themselves in such a close proximity" is not welcome, said resident Dmitry Gerber.

Gerber was among those who won a court injunction to stop the construction. Now, Jeffries has said the city needs to find another location.

"It's inappropriate to be jamming an unwanted structure down the throats of the Brighton Beach community," Jeffries said.

Residents have said the units, which cost about $2 million per pod, will not only be an eyesore, they will also mean no more wheelchair access for disabled residents such as Eileen Trotta and her brother.

"Now I have to walk all the way around, which is almost impossible," Trotta said in July. "Somebody has to drive me there."

The city is placing modern elevated restroom facilities on Coney Island and in the Rockaways to replace those washed out by Sandy.

The city Parks Department defended the design in July.

"They are being built to withstand future extreme weather events," a department statement said. "As required by NYC Building Code, the new buildings will be raised above (Federal Emergency Management Agency) advisory base flood elevations."

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