NYC On Track To Start Phased Re-Opening June 8th

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/29/20 at 2:08pm

Finally! Let’s all cross our fingers and hope for the best. :)

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 5/29/20 at 2:14pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Finally! Let’s all cross our fingers and hope for the best. :)"

Almost all of Illinois moved to the next phase of reopening today, with Chicago joining in next Wednesday. Barbershops, outdoor seating at restaurants, nonessential businesses, and groups of 10 are allowed.

There's a long way to go, but the light at the end of the tunnel is visible, and that's making my day a lot better :)

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/29/20 at 3:05pm

Let's remember that theatres will only open in phase 4 (and scheduling that depends on no bad news before then) AND that any such opening will STILL be subject to social distancing. Translation: no Broadway.

Nonetheless, this is very promising news, if for no other reason that I might be able to get my hair cut (phase 2) before the 4th of July. Hopefully what I will have done hacking at it before then will be reparable. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/29/20 at 3:10pm

Nobody should take this as hope that theatres will reopen this year, it’s just a bit of hope that our lives will hopefully start to get back to some semblance of normal in the coming weeks.

[matt1982]

Posted: 5/29/20 at 3:17pm

That's great news!  Philly is starting their reopening June 5, hopefully with outdoor dining.  It will be nice to go to a restaurant again.

I'm in South Jersey and we've been in the reopening process.  So far things have gone well!  

 

[ggersten]

Posted: 5/29/20 at 6:00pm

I don't begrudge re-openings. But, that doesn't mean I am going to feel safe going to any of the re-opened places. And it does depend on where you are. But, my risk tolerance is lower than others. That's me. My worry is about people with higher risk tolerances who act like everything is fine like back in January - and that's not the case. So, actually, the re-openings make my risk tolerance even lower. Again, that's me.

Updated On: 5/29/20 at 06:00 PM

[ACL2006]

Posted: 5/29/20 at 6:54pm

If DeBlasio can let certain restaurants have outdoor seating with certain streets closing, this will help NYC slowly get back on its feet.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 5/29/20 at 7:02pm

I'm glad it's starting to re-open but that does not impact things like restaurants or bars. Only construction, manufacturing, wholesale business and curbside retail. Moving forward, slowly and safely! 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/29/20 at 7:05pm

Aren’t the mayor and the gov working to get restaurants with outside seating open for phase 1?

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 5/29/20 at 7:47pm

Restaurants and bars are looking at the second week of July at the earliest for reopening. In other parts of the state, restaurants can provide a plan for outdoor seating and submit it to the governor' office, but I haven't heard anything like that for NYC.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/29/20 at 7:47pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Aren’t the mayor and the gov working to get restaurants with outside seating open for phase 1?"

not phase 1. I guess that could change. The city council is taking steps to implement (a lot) broader outdoor seating rules but that will involve an application process and that sounds like time. As it stands, there is no outdoor-only seating in the phases, but that too could change.

Updated On: 5/29/20 at 07:47 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/29/20 at 7:56pm

Hogan, I thought I had read or seen something about them trying to fit that outdoor only seating into the first phase but I could have been wrong.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/29/20 at 8:04pm

or I did not see it. 

Matt posted above that Philly is hoping to do that. I would say I would kill for a cheesesteak wiz wit & al fresco but I don't eat meat and they won't sell the wiz wit out it. (I tried.)

[matt1982]

Posted: 5/29/20 at 8:27pm

HogansHero said: "or I did not see it.

Matt posted above that Philly is hoping to do that. I would say I would kill for a cheesesteak wiz wit & al fresco but I don't eat meat and they won't sell the wiz wit out it. (I tried.)"

You did well!  If you make it down to City of Brotherly Love in the future, I can tell you where to get an excellent vegan cheesesteak!  

The outdoor dining is happening in PA June 5, but Mayor Kenney has asked Philly restaurants to hold off making announcements until plans for the entire city can be ironed out.  

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/29/20 at 9:17pm

My friends in Phillly might have a stroke if I even said the words "vegan cheesesteak" but if you don't mind sending it to me in a private message I will try to make a stealth visit there on my own some day.

[EthelMae]

Posted: 5/29/20 at 10:22pm

Any slight good news is welcome for NYC. The outdoor seating for restaurants sounds good. And I guess people will show up after a lockdown of over 2 months. I just can’t see bars opening up with masks and social distancing and limited customers in place. With outdoor seating you can at least take the mask off to eat- if you’re 6 feet away from each other. But bars won’t have that kind of set up. Time will tell if folks want to drink with masks on 6 feet from each other and pay and tip for that type set up. 

I wish the news would not set up stories about re-opening like, “It looks like NYC will re-open June 8th!” The average person will think, great, back to normal. Better to say,, “NYC re-opening for Phase one only, June 8th for very limited businesses and masks and social distancing in place”. 

Updated On: 5/29/20 at 10:22 PM

[Fosse76]

Posted: 5/29/20 at 10:41pm

HogansHero said: "The city council is taking steps to implement (a lot) broader outdoor seating rules but that will involve an application process and that sounds like time."

The city still hasn't even processed a significant number of unemployment claims from March,  soo I can't imagine this process going any another smoother.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 5/29/20 at 10:55pm

NYC is too dense for outdoor seating for phase 1. Tables cannot possibly be 6 feet away from each other, it cannot happen. And even if it happens in phase 3, restaurants will seriously need to reconfigure pretty much everything about their dining room in NYC. Tables are squeeeeezed together, so I can't even really imagine it. The permits for other parts of the states are being accepted but they won't get to them for a while, they are a tad busy.  

[leefowler]

Posted: 5/29/20 at 10:59pm

If the virus roars back in the fall, which a lot of people think is likely, we won't have Broadway for a very long time.

[zainmax]

Posted: 5/29/20 at 11:21pm

HogansHero said: "
Nonetheless, this is very promising news, if for no other reason that I might be able to get my hair cut (phase 2) before the 4th of July. Hopefully what I will have done hacking at it before then will be reparable."

Thinking the same thing!!

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/29/20 at 11:52pm

Sutton Ross said: "NYC is too dense for outdoor seating for phase 1. Tables cannot possibly be 6 feet away from each other, it cannot happen. And even if it happens in phase 3, restaurants will seriously need to reconfigure pretty much everything about their dining room in NYC. Tables are squeeeeezed together, so I can't even really imagine it. The permits for other parts of the states are being accepted but they won't get to them for a while, they are a tad busy."

What you have said here makes no sense if you are familiar with what the city council is doing, what the restaurant folks are doing, what restaurants in even denser cities in Europe are doing, and what David Rockwell is working on currently, which makes me think you are not familiar with any of that. There is not sit down dining planned in phase 1 and when there is, it will be with the social distancing. Hide and watch and all will be revealed. [Or just read media every day, if you are interested in becoming familiar now.]

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 5/30/20 at 12:00am

Clearly you are a bit tired or addressed the wrong person. I said hours ago that restaurants WONT BE OPENING in Phase 1. Hours ago. Someone commented about outdoor seating in phase 1, I was simply stating, again, that is not happening and talking about the very huge challenges NYC in terms of space over a place like Seneca Falls or East Aurora. So, no, what you say makes no sense. 

I am more informed than 99% of this board regarding these issues, the timing, the schedule, the regions, what things will open regarding which phase, etc, etc, etc.

Thanks so much though. 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 5/30/20 at 12:00am

Updated On: 5/30/20 at 12:00 AM

[stoptheworld38]

Posted: 5/30/20 at 12:06am

I’m in upstate NY (Ithaca) and we’re still officially only in Phase 1 although I think close to Phase 2, as some retail businesses and stuff have now reopened. (I went to a local used clothing store this afternoon), and the place I get my hair cut is set to reopen Monday. Obviously there’s still quite a ways to go before theatre and similar things come back (and where I am is significantly further ahead of NYC) but we have to start somewhere. So hopefully good news...

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/30/20 at 12:14am

Well no, Sutton, you aren't. You are correct about phase 1 as formulated (as I pointed out) but you don't seem aware of the plans for augmented outdoor dining possibilities because of the indoor restrictions. That's what I was bringing to your attention. It is to address the "huge challenges" that all of these things I mention are underway. One more point to add: we should not be viewing these phases as carved in stone because everything is in motion. We have things being allowed in the city in phase 0 that were not even in phase 2 a week ago. BTW I was at that Yankees game at Citi Field. Are you Gary the Thumb?