Covid-19 can spread quickly in crowded indoor spaces, making it difficult for restaurants to create safe spaces for nervous customers. But some people in the industry are hoping that the city allows them to spread out in a safer way. One idea is to move more seating into the sidewalk or street.
Of course, sidewalk cafes are already ubiquitous in the neighborhood. But this would entail a more ambitious expansion.
Some Upper West Siders have already started floating plans. Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer supports the idea, calling it “a work in progress & we have to do it safely, while making sure our small businesses stay open.”
Because just a few streets are now closed to traffic, Brewer wants the Department of Transportation to use its Street Seats initiative to expand dining options.
“The Street Seats program currently allows for ground-floor businesses with street access to apply for permits to convert that space into public seating arrangements from March through December each year,” Eater reported. Normally businesses can’t take money at Street Seats locations but Brewer wants that to change. Also she wants DOT to set up seating areas with “low-cost, temporary materials such as plastic delineators and planters.”
Andrew Rigie, the executive director of the NYC Hospitality Alliance and a member of local Community Board 7, also supports expanding space for restaurants. “NYC must open streets, extend sidewalks, utilize pedestrian plazas, parks & other open spaces for restaurants to serve customers in a safe and responsible way,” he wrote on Twitter.
And Henry Rinehart, owner of former Upper West Side mainstay Henry’s is pushing for it too. In a letter, he cited Lithuania as one successful example:
Currently, one of the most compelling examples of the growing open streets movement is taking place in the capital of Lithuania, Vilnius. The mayor of this gorgeous world heritage site has opened the narrow streets throughout the city center. His plan has expanded space in the streets for restaurants and cafés to serve al fresco. Additionally, the mayor has given 400 euros to every essential worker to be spent exclusively in the city’s restaurants and cafés.
On Wednesday night at 6:30, Community Board 7 will hold a special meeting to consider ideas. The Zoom link is here. The agenda is below:
“Discussion and possible resolution concerning the potential use of sidewalk and outdoor spaces, public plazas, curbside spaces and other unusual areas by restaurants and other small businesses during a defined period as we recover from the Covid-19 Crisis.”
That image perfectly presents that section of Columbus Ave (85-84) where the outdoor seating has crowded out the ability of people to walk on the sidewalk. Osteria Cotta has imperviously ignored the sidewalk cafe rules for years. If you have leas than four feet to pass a family with a baby carriage, for example, how are pedestrians supposed to social distance?
Hey you kids! GET OFF MY LAWN! A Grumble grumble grumble.
not yet
Yes!!!! Close parts of Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues, reroute the traffic (Seasonally) and let restaurants seat outside, It will completely revitalize the neighborhood Food Scene.
I would absolutely love that too!
Yes!
Where would you like to reroute the 53 foot trucks that travel the city streets everyday. They are COMMERCIAL VEHICLES genius. NO commercial traffic on Central Park West. NO commercial traffic on West End Ave. NO commercial traffic on Riverside Drive. NO commercial traffic on the Westside Highway. So genius where should they go? BROADWAY? And what about the restaurants on Broadway don’t they deserve out door seating?
Uh?? Trucks need space? Maybe someone should have thought of this BEFORE the High Line was built
Plan for the day when that artery was actually needed to move mdse in to the City
All is not lost. I understand the rails were left intact
And could be converted again. Like now!???
There is plenty of room on the avenues if you only close the bike lane for pedestrians. No problems for commercial vehicles or any vehicles when only one lane is used for outdoor dining/seating. What’s the problem? Genius?
Yea walk in the bike lane and get killed. How about put tables in Bike lane sidewalk is for walking.
Completely agree!!
The only answer for restaurants this summer! Outside seating with safe space. Yay!
Set up tables in the bike lanes.
Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues should be closed to all traffic except for pedestrians at lunchtime and in the evenings. There should be ample room for pedestrians in the middle of the street while sidewalk dining can be greatly expanded. Deliveries could be made in the morning or between lunch and dinner time. I like the idea of making it permanent. New York would have its own Zona Pedonale.
Sue and Mike,
Keep in mind that restricting delivery has a negative impact on low-paid workers doing the work – drivers, stock people etc.
Makes their job harder, impacts their hours, family responsibilities
Or just close off the bike lane for foot traffic so sidewalks can be used for seating. Easy and don’t have to close the whole street.
Why close the bike lane instead of the parking lane? Many more people per hour use the bike lane. Especially now when restaurants are more reliant than ever on delivery, workers need a safe way to deliver your food (safe for them, safe for other street users).
Fabulous thinking especially HenryRinehart’s description of what Lithuania is doing.
It must be done. We have to help our local restaurants try to survive. Yes it’s inconvenient to pedestrians. Accept that and move on.
Actually, I think what is kinda being proposed is to give up a lane or two of the street to allow more restaurant/pedestrian use.
Exactly. Just one lane on the avenue for pedestrians so seating on the sidewalk can be expanded.
How would you protect the pedestrians from the cars if they are walking in the street
Columbus and Amsterdam have bus routes and can’t be closed. Amsterdam is the road to Mt. Sinai Morningside hospital. So if just the sidewalks are used, where are pedestrians supposed to walk? Places like Jacobs Pickles always have dozens of people on the sidewalk waiting to get in. If there’s only outdoor seating, the lines will be even longer. This only makes sense if the restaurants take reservations only and don’t allow people to wait outside
Close off the current bike lane for foot traffic so sidewalks can be used for seating. There is no other solution for restaurants’ survival on the UWS.
The bike lanes are only on one side of the street. Where will pedestrians walk on the other side of the street?
Close one lane on each side of the street where there are already barriers in place on Columbus and Amsterdam.
The outdoor space could use all the table if they put up plastic shower curtains between each table. They are doing that in a grocery store in my neighborhood to protect the cashier. It is clear so you can see the other patrons but it is high enough as not to be able to spread the virus.
Personally, I could not think of a worse idea.
Jackson Hole was the best! Great file photo! Apparently Jennifer Anniston once waitressed there.
Can’t wait to see what this does to police and firefighters response times.
Or people can stop being hysterical and realize the Wuhan virus has done its maximum damage and is waning significantly (the curve has BEYOND flattened, please look at any recent data/graphs). So it’s time to get back to normal, and if people want to continue being hysterical, they can frequent the few restaurants that can sustain themselves with 50% capacity implemented.
This gives priority to restaurants over non-restaurant stores.
Will actually hurt some small stores
Why? Stores and other businesses would get advantaged by more pedestrians in the area and they could put some stuff outside to buy.
It is not unusual in Europe and elsewhere for streets to be closed off and restaurants to setup in them. That way she sidewalk is allowed open for pedestrians.
This could only take place during non-rush hours times.
Elsewhere the streets could remain closed at all times to provide areas for people to walk for exercise.
This not only would become the New Normal but set a precedent for later days that would discourage cars and make NYC more enjoyable..
But I thought NYC can’t be compared to or ever be like Europe. Isn’t that what all anti-bicycles noodnicks complain about?
It would be a gargantuan project to implement over such a large area. How would you manage the transitions throughout the day in so many locations? Where would the buses go? Too many unrealistic people seeing unicorns and rainbows.
Everyone is excited by the idea of pedestrian only streets where people can easily eat in the streets. As many people have pointed out, these streets exist all over Europe and are some of the most pleasant areas of European cities.
It would be even easier to convert side streets to allow for this kind of outdoor dining than it would the avenue. Side streets are typically four car widths wide and could easily accommodate seating without impacting emergency access.
The problem is that for years we have restricted commercial development on side streets. That has limited space for restaurants, strengthened the negotiating position of commercial landlords, and driven up rents for small business owners. Allowing more small restaurants on side streets would benefit businesses, consumers, and the neighborhood. Let’s start thinking just a little bit bigger! This neighborhood should be the best in the world.
Whoever is in charge MUST give our restaurants
every consideration and help possible. And I can see in so doing new ideas and ways will emerge
So all these folks sit outside with no mask on(eating). As folks walk by within a foot as sidewalk packed (what is left of sidewalk) some without mask. This will work
great idea. all streets in west side should be closed and businesses allowed to operate on sidewalk and outside on street. makes sense for business income and health reasons. no brainier as to get the city back to normalcy in same but positive steps. will also foster more of sense of community in these fucked up times… but alas we have mayor Billy who is napping at the wheel….