Go on laugh. Smirk if you must. But there’s no question that Boston Parks is going to have the last laugh and we’ll all be better for it.

Yesterday Boston City officials announced it was awarding a 15-year lease to Earl of Sandwich®, a Florida-based food chain that, as soon as early 2012, plans to set up a take-out operation on the Boston Common. Where, exactly? In the so-called “Pink Palace,” an historic structure built in the 1920s which originally served as a “men’s comfort station.” In other words, a bathroom. But not in use as such for decades. The Pink Palace is the last remaining vacant building on the Common. Next year, no more.

PRK spoke with Commissioner Toni Pollak of Boston Parks & Recreation to learn more about this creative, adaptive re-use of the structure. When we asked her ‘Why this, why now?’ the response was immediate and clear.

“It’s an historic building in America’s oldest park. We’ve been thinking about adaptive use for some time. We felt that food vending would enliven the park, and we’re excited about [the Earl of Sandwich’s] fun, healthy food offerings.”

The timing was “right,” she added, because the Common is a “wonderful park, widely-used.”

Here’s more backstory. The Pink Palace was closed, along with numerous other city structures, in the 1970s due to the tough economy. Ever since, City officials have struggled to find a use for this small gem of a structure (660 square feet). According to Commissioner Pollak, Earl of Sandwich was not the only business that competed for the space and placed a bid. The City had “lots of conversations with a variety of people over the years” and consulted with local organizations such as Friends of the Public Garden to find a suitable use for the defunct space. A non-food-related business also bid, but was turned down.

The appeal of the site as a food kiosk is its proximity to the Parkman Bandstand, where Shakespeare on the Common performs its annual summer productions, and park benches. LOTS of benches, which Pollak emphasized more than once in our conversation. The City of Boston’s twin goals for the Pink Palace–i.e., historical preservation and revenue generation–seem to have been met. Check, and check.

We asked the Commissioner what comes next. First, she said, was solidification of the lease, followed by approval from the Landmarks Commission and building inspectors (of course), all with aim of maintaining the integrity of  the building while meeting modern-day codes. The only anticipated changes to the “Palace” exterior will be adding windows and a new roof. The pink-hued masonry that gives the structure its nickname will stay intact (photo HERE). Phew!

So, you know that old expression “Don’t (blank) where you eat”?? Forget about it. Here’s to changing your “Ewww” to “Ahhhh.” It’s a great city we live in.