Others worried that the shelters, roughly two blocks apart, would provide a place for muggers to hide and would attract vagrants seeking bottles and cans.

They said they worried that it would not just be used by small children and pregnant women, but would also attract child molesters, vagrants, criminals and people who don't clean up after themselves.

The town had sprung up around a silver mine and this had attracted vagrants like ants to a picnic.

After the landfill was closed, the deserted unsightly area attracted vagrants and criminals.

In 2008, Lawrenceville United executive director Tony Ceoffe described the dilapidated structure as a "terrible eyesore" and went on to say that neighbors were claiming it attracted vagrants and drug users.

Mr. Willensky and some of his neighbors worry that the untended space could attract vagrants and that the burden of upkeep will ultimately fall to his building's maintenance staff.

But some residents say the benches will attract vagrants, trash and vermin, and these critics question Mr. Stein's motives.

Nevertheless, some systems attract vagrants who use the stations or trains as sleeping shelters, though most operators have practices that discourage this.

"A short-stay motel will attract vagrants, illicit activity, prostitutes and drug dealers," she said, noting that students walked past the site, which is about two blocks away, between 220th and 221st Streets, and near three churches.

The new toilets will be big enough to hold more than one person, and thus big enough to attract drug users, prostitutes and vagrants.