File photo of sidewalk cafes on Columbus Avenue.
The city has created a map of all of the sidewalk cafes in the city, including information about how many seats each cafe has, and when the cafe permit expires.
There are 144 cafes in the neighborhood, and 24 active applications according to the map. Check it out here. (Just click on the blue dots to get specific information about each cafe.)
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Thank you for providing the permit expiration dates. As new outdoor permits are issued, previous permits need to be reviewed carefully. On paper it looks OK, but on the sidewalk some are crowding pedestrians out.
Interesting that you chose a photo of Jackson Hole, which is closed now.
Kind of strange for the article to use a photo of the now closed Jackson Hole.
With a picture of Jackson Hole, which has closed.
Jackson Hole 🙁
Hole
So, according to this map, Toast on Bway and 105th doesn’t have a license for its outdoor seating. Hmm…interesting…
If that’s true, then one can only wonder how long before they’ll ‘be toast’.
I’m sure I’m in the minority, but I find the massive number of outdoor cafes, particularly in the 80s (Col/Amst) to be a royal pain in the ass. Simply walking along the sidewalk is more like an obstacle course. Perhaps the cafes can be rezoned for a narrower strip on the sidewalk. I find it hard to believe most residents find this appealing
I love the sidewalk cafes, but it does get tight when people waiting for a table stand on the sidewalk, blocking the flow of pedestrians walking by.
Don’t know the best solution. NYC has a street seats program, and maybe those would be great spots for people to wait, but the restaurants need their loading zones since they’re getting truck deliveries daily.
https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pedestrians/streetseats.shtml
By the way I got a good look at Le Pain Quotidien’s cafe at Verdi Square yesterday – gorgeous! A+ placemaking.
I love the outdoor cafes! Why? Because it lets the restaurants make more money and therefore be viable businesses. And since I hate eating on the sidewalk with buses and trucks rumbling past and pedestrians looking at your food, it opens up the air conditioned tables inside. “Outdoor table? 20 minute wait. Indoor? Right this way!”
For the people complaining about crowding the sidewalks.. deal with it.
I agree, sidewalk cafes are nice and good for business. Sometimes, yes, it gets a little tight on the sidewalks, especially when there are dogs and strollers on the outside of the railing. They’re fine by me.
If you want to get rid of something, let’s pick on all the lame street fairs and annoying parades…
I love a parade!
I wonder if anyone here recalls what radio commentator and artist Jay Diamond used to say about parades. (He didn’t like them either…)
Bob Grant (racist commentator) protege. Jay was the one who did Al Sharpton imitations. “he died of a bitter heart. Rest in Peace.
Snake Oil Sam
On some blocks on Amsterdam and low 80s, very difficult for wheelchairs to get through due to expanse of multiple outdoor cafes.Also frequently delivery bicycles chained to trees. Thus very little space to get through on sidewalk.
On narrow sidewalks such as Amsterdam, cafes could be set back a foot.
Wondering why there are no documented sidewalk cafes between 86-96 on Columbus. There are 5 I can think of right off the top of my head.
I believe the legal distance is 8 feet from restaurant’s fence to the street furniture. Eg: mail box, tree plot, bench, bus shelter, telephone booth, sign post etc. you get the idea. If you see that the space is less than 8 feet wide, call 311 to report the offending restaurant. One could also take a photo to send to your City Council official. (Helen Rosenthal for this neighborhood) and ask for constituant help person. They could tell you where to make your complaint, or take it for you)!