Dining Out NYC: A Comprehensive Guide to the Permanent Outdoor Dining Program
Welcome to the Comprehensive Guide to the Permanent Outdoor Dining Program in New York City! In response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the city has launched a permanent outdoor dining program to support local restaurants and offer New Yorkers an enhanced dining experience. This program represents a significant shift from the temporary outdoor dining initiative, opening the doors for all eligible restaurants to participate, regardless of size or location. With an equitable fee structure, improved setup design, and expanded roadway and sidewalk setups, this program aims to create a vibrant and accessible outdoor dining culture in the city.
Eligibility:
All eligible restaurants are welcome to apply citywide. Any restaurant in New York City can apply for the program, regardless of its size or location. This is a significant change from the temporary outdoor dining program, which only allowed restaurants in certain areas to participate.
Equitable fee structure: Rates vary by location and setup size. This means that the fees for the program will be based on the location and size of the restaurant's outdoor dining area. This will help to ensure that the program is fair and equitable for all participants.
Rates are lower than pre-pandemic Sidewalk Café programs. This means that the fees for the permanent outdoor dining program will be lower than the fees for the temporary program. This will make it more affordable for restaurants to participate in the program.
Setup Design:
Safe, accessible, and easy to assemble and break down. The outdoor dining areas must be designed to be safe for customers and employees, accessible to people with disabilities, and easy to assemble and break down.
No more fully enclosed structures. Restaurants will not be allowed to enclose their outdoor dining areas with walls or other structures. This is to ensure that the outdoor dining areas are open to the air and do not obstruct pedestrian traffic.
Roadway Setups:
Allowed for an eight-month season (April through November). Restaurants will be able to use roadway space for their outdoor dining areas for eight months of the year. This is a significant expansion of the temporary program, which only allowed roadway dining for six months of the year.
Accessible, lighter, open-air setups that extend the restaurant's look and feel out to the street. Roadway dining areas must be accessible to people with disabilities, be made of lightweight materials, and be designed to extend the restaurant's look and feel out to the street.
Sidewalk Setups:
Allowed year-round. Restaurants will be able to use sidewalk space for their outdoor dining areas year-round. This is a major change from the temporary program, which only allowed sidewalk dining for eight months of the year.
Licenses and revocable consents required, valid for four years. Restaurants will need to obtain a license from the NYC DOT and a revocable consent from the NYC Department of Buildings in order to operate their outdoor dining areas. The licenses and consents will be valid for four years.
Application Process:
Application portal opens in early 2024. Restaurants will be able to apply for the program online through the NYC DOT's website in early 2024. The application process is expected to be relatively simple and can be completed in a few minutes.
Timeline:
Permanent Outdoor Dining Launches in Spring 2024. Restaurants will be able to start operating their outdoor dining areas in the spring of 2024.
As the Permanent Outdoor Dining Program prepares to launch in the spring of 2024, it marks a new era for dining out in NYC. The increased accessibility, fair fee structure, and extended operational timelines will offer restaurants the opportunity to thrive while providing New Yorkers with an inviting outdoor dining experience year-round. With the application portal set to open in early 2024, we look forward to seeing the streets of New York City come alive with diverse and welcoming outdoor dining spaces. Join us as we anticipate the exciting changes and developments in the dining scene, celebrating the resilience and innovation of New York City's restaurant industry.
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