Many restaurants in downtown New Haven say they don’t have adequate outdoor space to accommodate patrons during the coronavirus pandemic.
Gov. Ned Lamont allowed restaurants to reopen as of June 17, with outdoor dining and reduced capacity indoor dining.
While some city restaurants have patios and room to seat customers outside, this hasn’t been the case for most. Without the addition of outdoor dining, restaurants haven’t been able to serve as many customers, which means lost revenue.
The solution? Turning pavement into restaurant space.
John Brennan, the owner and chef at Elm City Social on College Street, recently sought to fix the problem by circulating a petition asking the city to close down College between Chapel and Crown streets so restaurants on that block could have more space for outdoor dining.
While the city didn’t agree to close the block entirely, one traffic and one parking lane have been cordoned off.
Alder Eli Sabin, who represents Ward 1, said he reached out to Brennan after learning about the petition.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, the city’s Economic Development team, restaurant owners and other stakeholders participated in a Zoom meeting to discuss the issue.
“A few folks raised concerns, so we came up with a compromise plan to close one lane of traffic, which would give the restaurants a lot more space and maintain vehicle access for emergency services, residents, customers and deliveries,” Sabin said.
The restaurants can use the pavement to set up tables where diners can dine al fresco.
Brennan said he started the petition about two months ago and was able to get hundreds of signatures.
“This past week was the first week we were able to use (the road) for outdoor seating, and I anticipate it will help us through the month of August,” Brennan said. “I’m not sure how long the city will allow it, but I would like it to stay this way through September and October.”
Brennan said he already has seen an uptick in the number of patrons coming to enjoy his restaurant’s offerings.
“In one week alone, I’ve seen a difference in our sales,” Brennan said. “People just feel safer being able to eat outside.”
Sabin said he is pleased with how it is working so far, and he has received positive feedback from city restaurant owners.
“I think it has been a success, and with the economic crisis going on, it is important to help businesses in the city,” Sabin said.
The current plan is for the lane to remain closed for the next couple of months, though it may extend into the fall. According to Sabin, the city is open to considering doing the same thing elsewhere in the city depending on the demand and if local streetscapes would make it feasible.
Michael Piscitelli, the city’s economic development administrator, said the city worked to identify a safe travel pattern on College Street “and still dramatically improve the outdoor dining experience.”
“Recognizing that the pandemic is far from over, we expect more applications for outdoor dining and look to build from the positive experience on College Street,” Piscitelli said.
Contact Michelle Tuccitto Sullo at msullo@newhavenbiz.com.
