De Blasio Wants Unused Dining Sheds Dismantled For Parking Use

NEW YORK CITY —Mayor Bill de Blasio wants restaurants to act immediately to dismantle unused dining structures across the city.

According to the mayor, the city is currently canvassing the 10,000 makeshift structures throughout the five boroughs to assess how many are actually being used to feed customers. Created as part of the Open Restaurants program, those structures proved to be a lifeline for restaurateurs who could not maximize their indoor seating because of social distancing restrictions.

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Now they're most often used to feed diners who prefer not to eat indoors and those customers who remain unvaccinated.

Businesses found using their sheds for any other purpose may find their permission to operate the structures revoked, and they could be returned to parking space status.

"I'm someone who believes in outdoor dining fully," the mayor said. "I absolutely believe it's the right thing to do. And the permanent approach is the right way to do it. So, the restaurant owners know they can invest in doing it in a way that's really appealing, more jobs, more activity. It's just good for the city. But you're right: If someone's not using a space for outdoor dining, they are using it for any other need, or they're not filling the space, they're just trying to hold it."

De Blasio recommend that DOT “Go and review each one. Go and talk to the owners of any place where they’re not using it for outdoor dining, and tell them they have a matter of days to get right or the site should be pulled back and opened up again for parking. It’s only fair.”

To date, the DOT has removed only 24 sheds that were considered non-compliant, abandoned or destroyed.