Averaging more than 2,500 people a week at the Batavia Farmers Market prompted city officials to consider how to make visitors feel more comfortable.

One way is to offer them something nicer than two porta-potties – like a snazzy, prefabricated double-unit self-cleaning public restroom with two stalls.

The doublet, built by Canadian company Urben Blu, self-sanitizes after each use. The restrooms cost $368,000.

A crane recently lowered the two-for onto the construction site of the more than $1 million North River Street Plaza project.

“The farmers market was needing more restroom seating and areas where people can linger and have a good time,” Assistant City Administrator Max Weiss said. “With the investment and growth of the farmers market and regional draw, we wanted to create a more permanent place ... where people can linger and have a good time.”

Weiss, who is also the plaza’s project manager, said the city seeks to create a sense of place where people can come to the farmers market and stay for lunch, go shopping, stay later and go to a bar or see a show.

“We used to have a bike trail that ended in a stairwell,” Weiss said. “Recently, we added that bike trail to a ramp that connects from the river to River Street – right where this restroom and plaza is going to be.”

In recognition of the city’s status as bike-friendly, with bike trails on both sides of the Fox River, the plaza will have bike racks, stations for fixing bikes and a water bottle filling station, Weiss said.

“A lot of neat little features, almost a pit stop on long rides,” Weiss said. “They can stop and get a coffee downtown, shop and take a look at what Batavia has to offer. We’re really trying to make it a little destination on a longer ride.”

And for that, no more temporary porta-potties once the duo restrooms are settled in.

“They have two doors, two stalls that operate independently and are fully ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible,” Weiss said.

Upland Design, a landscape architecture firm that creates parks, open spaces and plazas, designed Batavia’s plaza. Landmark Contractors Inc. started construction in April to open later this year.

The city tore down the former Tin Shop site at 102 N. River St. to make space to create the plaza, using money from a tax increment financing district. Known as a TIF district, it’s a development tool for local governments to use when private dollars are not enough.

“We’re really excited,” Weiss said. “It’s a continued investment (for) River Street and the farmers market ... to have places to linger and be in downtown Batavia. ... It’s a real nice amenity for River Street, not only for residents, but for visitors.”

According to its website, www.bataviail.gov, the finished plaza will have planter benches, public art elements and native pollinator plantings.

“By investing in this public space, the City is creating a vibrant destination that enhances the downtown experience and helps set the stage for future redevelopment along River Street,” according to the website. “The city is coordinating work to open the plaza as early as possible in 2026.”