Pandemic Outdoor Dining Solution Set To Shutter For Season

GREENPORT, NY — An innovative outdoor dining plan born during the pandemic to boost the Greenport economy is set to shutter at the end of September.

Despite a request by Greenport business owners to extend the "parklet" program through the end of October, Greenport village officials nixed the idea.

The "parklets" in Greenport are outdoor spaces created by sections of timber designed to create seating and allow outdoor dining to expand out onto the street.

Greenport Village Administrator Paul Pallas wrote a letter to Greenport Business Improvement District President Rich Vandenburgh and said the board of trustees had decided not to extend the parklet program past the date initially set with the New York State Department of Transportation; the parklets will be removed for the season as of Sept. 27.

Last year, they remained in place through the end of October.

"While the board is acutely cognizant of the financial issues involved for the businesses, especially the restaurants, during this economic COVID-recovery period, additional factors concerning public health and safety outweigh others at this time," Pallas said, adding that police and fire department members have echoed those sentiments.

Pallas added that the village board continues to support the business district, applaud the district and its leadership for the "gains and strides" made during the difficult past two seasons, and remains confident that village businesses will continue to prosper, due in large part to successful collaborations such as the parklet plan.

Vandenburgh addressed the denial for an extension. He said the village has navigated a series of ups and downs during the pandemic, including the concerns raised by the delta and other variants while the economy was struggling to recover.

"The parklets clearly helped in that journey and while for some the struggle is not over, the value that Greenport Village received overall with the presence of the parklets is undeniable," Vandenburgh said.

His goal is to see the parklet program return for the 2022 season, Vandenburgh said.

"We continue to learn and improve on their safe integration into the fabric of our village. We continue to listen and consider ways to make their implementation equitable, fair, and the least burdensome on village resources," Vandenburgh said. "But we must all also face the fact that much like the beloved uncle who attends the family party and perhaps instigates discussions or debates that begin to wear thin the patience of everyone, perhaps it now is time for him/them to go."

Vandenburgh said he hopes all can focus on how to bring the parklets back next year and welcome them with open arms, not hard feelings.

The parklets were unveiled in August, 2020 as a public/private partnership and an innovative vision for change to help shepherd the business district through the turbulent months of the coronavirus.

In order to create the parklets, the Village of Greenport leveraged 51 parking spaces to create 9,000 square feet of space. Also, a portion of Front Street traffic was directed one way for the duration of the program.

At an event to launch the program, Noah Schwartz, owner of Noah's said the parklets were a game-changer. "We were all questioning if we were going to have a season. The additional seating has been certainly beneficial, if not imperative, to the success of our business going forward," he said.

Meanwhile in Riverhead, outdoor dining, a lifeline for downtown businesses in Riverhead during the pandemic, may soon become permanent.