Dimes Square Is Really Dead (For Now)

"Two weeks into a deep freeze making New Yorkers stir-crazy, Nialls Fallon was already picturing the configuration of tables and umbrellas he would set up on Canal Street once warmer weather returned. The restaurateur, who co-owns an empire of Mediterranean-influenced eateries including Cervo's, Eel Bar, and Hart's, has managed a city-designated Open Street on the two-block stretch of Canal between Essex and Orchard Streets each year since 2020."

"The makeshift pedestrian plaza transformed the Chinatown borderland into Dimes Square. From April to November, thousands of Zoomers and influencers congregate in the open-air dining destination. As customers spill out of spots like Le Dive, Dimes, Clandestino, and Fallon's Cervo's, the scene feels more like Marseille than Manhattan."

"Last week, Fallon - who had submitted his renewal forms in December - hopped on a video conference call with two city Transportation officials to finalize any remaining outstanding details. The DOT liaisons explained they would not grant the long-term concession permit necessary for Canal Street's restaurants to set up tables in the roadway for 183 days of the year. Instead, they offered a short-term agreement - good for only 29 days, covering a single day each weekend through the summer - less than two months before the season was set to begin."

Nialls Fallon plans seasonal tables and umbrellas on Canal Street and has managed a city-designated Open Street there since 2020. The pedestrian plaza transformed the Chinatown borderland into Dimes Square and draws thousands of young diners and influencers from April through November. The Canal Street Merchants Association anticipates restaurants serving as many as 1,500 customers a night during the summer season. Fallon submitted renewal forms in December and recently met with city Transportation officials. The DOT declined to issue a long-term 183-day concession permit and instead offered a 29-day, weekend-only agreement less than two months before the season. Businesses had already paid for additional street furniture and winter storage.

Read at Grub Street