Well in advance of the summer tourist season, the city of Homer last week opened its latest new restrooms on the Homer Spit.

Built on the foundation of the 44-year-old building, the Ramp 2 restrooms completely replace the worn-out structure and are now handicapped accessible.

The green-metal roof and light-brown siding of the new building fits in with the architectural scheme of the Homer Boat House Pavilion nearby.

“It was designed to be something we can be proud of, easy to maintain, and energy efficient,” Public Works Director Carey Meyer said of the Ramp 2 restrooms.

Like the old restrooms, the building includes a potable water tap, now located on the east or Salty Dawg side.

Including the cost of design, engineering, 1-percent for art, and demolition of the old building, the total cost was about $470,000. Under a 50-50 match from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, the city paid $235,000. That money came from the city’s share of Commercial Passenger Vessel Tax Fund proceeds, usually called the cruise-ship head tax.

Beachy Construction was the main contractor.

The new Ramp 2 restrooms on the Homer Spit in Homer, Alaska, as seen on Feb. 8, 2019. The restrooms opened on Feb. 2. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer New

A man walks by the new Ramp 2 restrooms on the Homer Spit in Homer, Alaska, on Feb. 8, 2019. The restrooms opened on Feb. 2. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)