Coronavirus News: NYC considers outdoor dining legislation amid restaurant struggles

ByCeFaan Kim WABC logo

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Push for year-round outdoor dining in NYC

Joe Torres has more on the efforts to continue outdoor dining.

UPPER WEST SIDE, Manhattan (WABC) -- With New York City restaurants struggling amid the ongoing pandemic restrictions, there is a push to make outdoor dining permanent across the city's five boroughs.

Hearings are set to begin in New York City Council on Wednesday.

Though indoor dining is set to reopen next week in the city at 25% capacity, struggling restaurants are wondering how long they can last.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city is targeting six neighborhoods that have seen recent upticks in coronavirus cases, with an emphasis on expanded testing and contact

According to a new survey, nine out of 10 restaurants, bars and nightlife venues in the city could not pay their full rent last month.

The New York City Hospitality Alliance says just over a third of them were unable to pay any rent at all.

"It would've been impossible. Literally, if you know we didn't have a big outdoor space we might have been closed already you know, we're lucky. I have some friends that have opened restaurants downtown. Like outdoor two or three tables. They couldn't survive, that's it," Rousselot said.

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As dining expands to limited indoor dining starting next Wednesday, restaurants will need to supplement indoor with outdoor, to make ends meet.

With colder temperatures heading our way, the question is how?

"I want to give every possible opportunity to our restaurants to succeed and survive," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said. "Now it comes with real health and safety concerns that have to be addressed that are different with warmer weather."

With indoor dining set to reopen soon in New York City, struggling restaurants are wondering how long they can last.

Restaurants want to know what the guidance will be on heat lamps. Will propane be allowed? Will they be allowed to use electric?

Those are among the issues expected to be addressed in the legislation to be considered by City Council.

Council Speaker Corey Johnson said one piece of the legislation would permit restaurants to use propane heaters, which are currently banned. Under city law, outdoor heaters currently must be electric or be piped in from existing gas lines.

For his part, the mayor said Tuesday he will have some answers as soon as possible.

"Yeah very soon. In fact it's on the agenda I think even later today to try and resolve that," Mayor de Blasio said. "We're going to work with the city agencies, with the state."

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Suddenly, the brutal death of George Floyd while in the custody of police officers in Minneapolis filled the streets of a nation with rage and sorrow. New York was no different. Protesters put the fear of the virus aside and took to the streets by the thousands. Abandoning the safety and comfort of social distance, to demand social change.