Deadline approaching for NYC restaurants to remove street dining sheds

NEW YORK — Nov. 29 is the last day for New York City restaurants to remove roadway dining sheds, which will now be seasonal under new regulations set by the City Council.
According to the new Dining Out NYC program, eligible sidewalk dining can stay, but permanent roadway sheds must go. Street dining will be allowed from April through November, but only as lightweight, portable, open-air structures.
The mayor’s office estimates that at the height of the pandemic, temporary outdoor dining served millions of New Yorkers and saved 100,000 jobs.
A spokesperson for the City Council said:
Weighing public concerns over parking, noise, and rats, the city’s Department of Transportation will handle implementation. DOT encourages restaurant owners to seek resources on the Dining Out NYC website.
In a statement, DOT said:
“We heard from the community. We know that communities say, ‘We support this program, but you, New York City, take care of the quality of life,'” DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said.
The DOT says restaurants failing to comply by Nov. 29 could face fines up to $1,000 per violation.
At Nick’s Bistro in Forest Hills, there’s little excitement for the change.
“I lost 50 percent of my restaurant overnight,” operations manager Tom Avallone said. 
Avalone says the comprehensive shed at Nick’s Bistro was a long-term investment.
“In the wintertime, we had heating elements in there. We had sliding windows to open and close. We put partitions up,” he said.
He says some regulars with health concerns still prefer to eat outdoors.
“Now, it’s gone,” he said.
He says it’s a crushing blow ahead of the holidays. He fears the limited revenue will force him to lay off loyal staff.
“I feel hurt, and I feel sorrow, a lot of sorrow,” he said.
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