Abruptly, after 6:00 on Friday, the super secret state agency announced that it closed the Southpoint Park restrooms “…due to needed maintenance repairs.”

They said “Comfort Station,” but come on. There’s no comfort in those barebones, better-than-nothing facilities. 

UPDATE, April 1st: Still mysterious, RIOC’s alleged Communications Department says the Southpoint restrooms are now open.

“Apologizing for the inconvenience…” is thoughtless boilerplate, but they did promise to send out a notice upon reopening.

No further word on the “needed maintenance repairs” on a weekend or on why it required closing all, not just some of the comfort. Nor were any alternatives offered nor any projected time frame.

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Rosenthal vs. Albany: The Steam Tunnel Nobody Fixed

Six years after Susan Rosenthal was abruptly removed as RIOC's president, a federal appeals court has revived part of her lawsuit.

Theo Gobblevelt Oct 9, 2026

Buried inside that employment dispute is another story: a deteriorating steam tunnel, a fight over who would pay for it, and a warning to Albany that never resulted in a repair.

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