Strong Like Steel, Without the Rust

In December 2010, the Broadway Pier Port Pavilion ceremoniously welcomed the first entry to its newly renovated 52,000-square-feet terminal in San Diego, CA. Upon arrival, more than 1,400 passengers on Holland America’s Rotterdam luxury vessel were among the first to view $28 million in upgrades designed to further the San Diego Unified Port District’s extensive economic, community, environmental, and public safety planning objectives.

“This upgrade was extremely important for maintaining the competitiveness of the port and offering our citizens a truly memorable and aesthetically beautiful spot for holding just about any type of event,” said Mark McIntire, capital project manager for the San Diego Unified Port District.

The destination of nearly 300 cruise ship calls annually, the new Port Pavilion was designed by Bermello Ajamil and Partners, Inc. to not only enhance the waterfront’s overall commercial appeal, but also to provide the people of San Diego with access to an ultra-modern, multi-use facility available for everything from concerts to birthday parties.

Bathroom Partitions for a Facility’s Maiden Voyage

Constructed by Jaynes Corporation in just under 15 months, the two-story steel and metal-framed terminal can now accommodate up to 2,600 cruise ship passengers while offering the amenities of the port’s first Leadership in Energy & Environment Design (LEED)–certified building.

“Previously, we could handle no more than two cruise ships at a time, which directly impacted our bottom line since each arrival generates about $2 million in revenue. In comparison, we now harbor multiple dockings in addition to simultaneously accommodating local public meeting and party needs,” McIntire said.

Integral to the multimillion dollar upgrade was the renovation of the terminal’s eight modern bathrooms decorated in gray and metallic colors and fully equipped with low-flow toilets, urinals, and faucets.

Complementing the clean, modern look are Hiny Hiders HDPE partitions from Scranton Products in a metallic color called Stainless. They were specifically chosen during a competitive review process that thoroughly examined durability and the ongoing ability to handle more than 500,000 users annually.

“Durability and aesthetics were key to choosing the right partition,” McIntire explained. “We needed stalls and primary screens that would blend nicely into the ultra-modern look of each bathroom and last for years without problems. So far, the feedback from everyone, including our visitors and custodians, has been very favorable. The partitions from Scranton Products are both architecturally pleasing and extremely impact resistant.”

Highly Durable HDPE Bathroom Partitions

Scranton Products specializes in the manufacture of unique and attractive interior partitions in a variety of colors and textures, available in ADA-compliant configurations. Although they look like metal, the HDPE partitions never rust and resist dents and scratches. They also won’t delaminate and resist graffiti, corrosion, mildew, and moisture.

Tough enough to be fully power washed, the hardware can be firmly installed in three configurations: floor mounted overhead-braced, ceiling-hung, or floor-to-ceiling.

“Corrosion is another consideration since we are located on the waterfront,” McIntire noted. “Even though their finish resembles stainless steel, each partition’s textured gray surface with small dots has yet to show any signs of airborne corrosive wear. Plus the thick, firm construction has already solidly weathered several years of use by thousands of patrons without incident. As a result, we will strongly consider Scranton Products bathroom partitions for use in all future projects.

“The Scranton Products partitions were above and beyond typical bathroom products, allowing us to step up in quality and stay within our budget,” McIntire added.