Outdoor dining along New York City streets, one of the rare pandemic-era accommodations that proved popular, is set to become permanent — but in a way that could drive many restaurant owners to take down their streetside sheds for good. — The New York Times
A New York City Council bill introduced in February that will make outdoor dining structures in roadways permanent through a licensing system was passed last week. The move aims to preserve the popular program while being able to exert more control over it. One stipulation is that roadway structures can only stand from April through November, which would be followed by their deconstruction and storage during the winter. This aspect of the bill has seen blowback from restaurant owners who claim it will be a costly task that also impacts dining options for patrons and the employment of restaurant workers.
With the bill, New York City’s Transportation Department is set to establish basic design guidelines for outdoor dining. Restaurants will now be required to pay fees based on their location and square footage. Establishments in historic districts or landmark sites will also need to acquire approval from the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission. As noted by The New York Times, the signing of the bill is expected to reduce the number of outdoor dining spaces, which has reached over 12,000 since June 2020.
1 Comment
Despite the (special-interest) blowback, this feels like the balanced, correct move. Some days it feels like there are endless clapboard temporary structures just sitting around and falling apart on random streets in the city. They take up space and often fall into disrepair, without any action to remove them. Conversely, some restaurants took it as a design opportunity and created delightful pop-up seating options. Keep the good stuff, trash the rest - they were not all created with an equal attention to detail and respect for the neighborhood.
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.