Photos: If you have to go, visit one of Madison's nine coolest bathrooms
With the news that the city of Madison is mulling a $300,000 round-the-clock public restroom, we couldn't help but wonder: when people in Madison have to go, which facilities offer the most unique experiences?Â
We decided to focus on the most pleasant potties — and these were named by Cap Times readers and employees as some of the city's most interesting bathrooms.Â
Madison Masonic Center ladies' lounge
Earlier this spring, we reported that the city was looking into the best location for a $300,000 round-the-clock public restroom to accommodate those who need it. That might sound like a lot of money, but it turns out there are a lot of costs associated with ensuring a public facility can withstand a Wisconsin winter.
One facility that's withstood the test of time is the Madison Masonic Center, 301 Wisconsin Ave., which was designed by architect brothers James R. and Edward J. Law and dedicated in 1925. The grand building is listed on the 
National
 Register
 of 
Historic 
Places, and features a ballroom with marble pillars and an auditorium with a Wangerin pipe organ. The women's restroom boasts a luxe lounge hearkening back to the building's days as a social hub of downtown Madison.
Madison Masonic Center women's restroom and lounge
The restrooms in the Madison Masonic Center were renovated in 2009 with an eye toward its 1920s-era origins. The rooms were custom-designed and built by Grandeur Restorations, a member company of the Johnson-Phoenix Group, LLC. Dean Johnson, a member of the Masonic Center, and his wife, Signe Gronbeck-Johnson, custom-designed the mirror frames, coat racks and every other feature of the intricately adorned rooms.
Madison Masonic Center women's restroom sinks
The sinks in the women's restroom at the Madison Masonic Center are a highlight of the design created by Signe Gronbeck-Johnson and Dean Johnson for the facilities' renovation in 2009.
MEMORIAL UNION 16
Local artist Nan Crowe Bieneman designed the tile art in this bathroom in the Memorial Union, 800 Langdon St., near the new Wheelhouse Studios. It can be found in the west end of the popular campus building that was recently renovated.
UNIVERSITY CLUB
The women's lounge at the University Club, 803 State St., is a throwback to earlier times. It's open to the public for breakfast and lunch.
Monona Terrace bathroom sinks
The restrooms in the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired Monona Terrace, 1 John Nolen Drive, have come a long way since the center opened in 1997. Complaints about the restrooms' quality and distance from the banquet space plagued the facilities, and faulty plumbing resulted in water dripping into offices. The city spent about $1.2 million remodeling the center's 16 bathrooms in 2013-14.
Monona Terrace bathroom tile
In addition to doing the tile work for one of the Memorial Union bathrooms in its west end renovation, Nan Crowe Bieneman, who owns the Madison business TileArt, did custom tile and designed the floor pattern in Monona Terrace's recently renovated bathrooms.
Central Park restroom pavilion
The $600,000 restroom pavilion at Central Park on Madison's near east side was built with earth-toned stone and with an environmentally green roof. Its design was inspired by a concept created by artist Lorna Jordan, meant to reflect the glacially sculpted landscape of the Madison isthmus. The 1,000-square-foot facility opened this week.
Central Park public restrooms
The Central Park facility also includes storage space and electrical equipment to service park events. It is open seasonally during regular park hours.
Nancy Nicholas Hall "Nature Calls" restrooms
Nancy Nicholas Hall, which houses the School of Human Ecology on the UW-Madison campus, is home to "Nature Calls" — a pair of bathrooms on the first floor designed by Sasaki Associates in Boston and local architect of record Diana Dorschner. Salvaged wood tree trunks support the sink basins in the nature-themed restrooms. The building is located at 1300 Linden Drive.
Nancy Nicholas Hall bathroom sinks
Nancy Nicholas Hall, which houses the School of Human Ecology on UW-Madison campus, is known for its imaginative bathrooms. The tradition dates back to an old bathroom that was mysteriously decorated by visitors over several years.
Nancy Nicholas Hall: chalkboards in restrooms
Students are invited to leave notes on the chalkboards in the restrooms of Nancy Nicholas Hall, which houses the School of Human Ecology on the UW-Madison campus.Â
Nancy Nicholas Hall "Nature Calls" bathrooms
The Nature Calls bathrooms in Nancy Nicholas Hall, home to the School of Human Ecology on the UW-Madison campus, play bird calls and the sound of a bubbling creek when a person enters. The men's and women's bathrooms are decorated the same way.
State Capitol fourth floor bathroom
A Cap Times reader and former legislative staffer suggested we include the bathrooms on the fourth floor of the state Capitol building on our list. Â
State Capitol bathroom
The bathrooms on the fourth floor of the state Capitol building — or any floor, for that matter — can provide some calm in a sometimes stormy environment, according to a reader.
Tip Top Tavern bathroom doors
The once-unsavory Tip Top Tavern was renovated and reopened by new owner Ben Altschul in January 2014. Altschul designed the reborn space with his mother, Jane Capito — owner of Lazy Jane's and Mickey's Tavern. The tavern's restrooms are just one standout feature of the bar's new look.
Tip Top Tavern bathroom
The colorful walls in the bathrooms of the new Tip Top Tavern, opened in January 2014, are adorned with fun pieces of art.
Tip Top Tavern bathroom with clown painting
As long as you're not afraid of clowns, a trip to the restroom at the newly reopened Tip Top Tavern, 601 North St., can be a pleasant experience.
Tip Top Tavern Ryan Gosling sign
Hey girl. Who wouldn't take personal hygiene advice from Ryan Gosling? The women's restroom at the Tip Top Tavern gives ladies a helpful reminder to wash their hands before they return to the bar, delivered by one of Hollywood's most handsome faces.Â
University of Wisconsin Memorial Union women's restroom
The women's restroom on the second floor of the University of Wisconsin Memorial Union is located near the Main Lounge, an ornate study lounge with marble columns and plush furniture. The comfortable ambiance extends into the bathroom. It's not quite the same as the former ladies' lounge, however, which was scrapped in a previous renovation. Fans still miss it.
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