How I Saved $100,000 Outdoor Dining Shed
How I Managed to Save My Outdoor Dining Shed
May 2022: I received a letter from the DOT asking me to remove the outdoor dining shed due to road construction on 9th Ave between 50th and 57th Street.
Here's what I did:
Reached out to other restaurant owners in Hell's Kitchen who were facing similar challenges.
Created a group chat for us to share information and support each other.
Emailed the community board and DOT to gather more details about the project.
Met a speaker at the Cowen conference and invited him to dine at Ikebana Zen.
Asked him if he knew anyone who could advocate for restaurants, and he happened to be friends with Andrew Rigie, Executive Director of the NYC Hospitality Alliance.
Andrew invited me to join the Hospitality Alliance and connected me with people from the DOT and SBS.
Attended a meeting organized by the community board, DOT, and SBS.
After a walk around the area, the DOT measured the distance between 9th Ave and my sheds.
DOT confirmed they no longer needed the space in front of my restaurant.
Saved my newly finished $100,000 outdoor dining shed.
What I learned from this:
Prepare for the worst case and fight for the best case
Small businesses are the backbone of NYC, and the city is willing to protect business owner’s interests.
Always ask for help; you never know who might have a solution.
Find your community and stand together to overcome challenges.