The Amenity Authority Committee has unanimously approved a six-figure bid for the construction of a restroom for the gate attendant at the Shay Gate on the Historic Side of The Villages.
The successful bidder was Genesis Construction and Management Inc., which offered a bid of $159,355 for the project.
The Shay Gate is the only manned gate without a restroom for the gate attendant. The attendant must walk down a street – without a sidewalk and poorly lit at night – to use a restroom at a convenience store. The gate on the Historic Side of The Villages is manned 24 hours per day, seven days a week. An average of 1,700 vehicles per day pass through the Shay Gate.
The AAC agreed earlier this year to move forward with the construction of a restroom after the topic stirred widespread discussion in The Villages. Ideas included manning the gate with a robot, eliminating the attendant and putting a porta-potty next to the gate. Those ideas were rejected by the AAC.