Friday marks the deadline for New York City restaurants to take down their outdoor dining sheds -- a common site that has become ubiquitous along sidewalks post-pandemic.
For some restaurants these pandemic era dining sheds were massive investments - complete with elaborate lighting, heating, and air conditioning. But as the COVID threat waned, other sheds became dilapidated.
Establishments that do not take their outdoor dining sheds down by the end of the day, can face hefty fines: $500 for the first offense and $1,000 for each violation after that until the setup is gone.
According to the Department of Transportation, there is a team of inspectors ready this weekend to start issuing fines.
Meanwhile, thousands of food and drink establishments have already applied for the new seasonal permit - which allows businesses to re-build temporary street structures starting this spring, which would then be taken down again next November.
This is all part of the DOT's new permanent outdoor dining program, called “Dining out NYC," which will now make roadway dining seasonal from April 1 to Nov. 29. This will allow for the DOT to take street spaces back.
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When street dining does come back the design will be different, for example, they’ll have a soft canopy top.
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Eric Lima, manager old John’s luncheonette, said he originally planned on keeping it up as long as possible, but it will be coming down soon because the penalties would be too much, noting that it is hard to find a construction company to take it down.
Meanwhile, at Wicked Willy’s on Bleecker Street, this 4-year-old shed is coming down. Employee Jennifer Guillen said it’s not a stretch to say the outdoor structure once saved her job when the pandemic forced people to eat and drink outside.
While the outdoor dining sheds need to come down, sidewalk dining is allowed year round.
