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Board approves Town House outdoor dining at 559 Main; permit tied to common ownership or binding agreement
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Summary
The New Rochelle Planning Board on June 24 approved special permit PB14-2025 to allow outdoor dining in the rear courtyard of Town House Restaurant at 559 Main Street, conditioned on DPW remediation for construction impacts and limited to common ownership or a recorded binding agreement if ownership changes.
The New Rochelle Planning Board on June 24 approved special permit PB14-2025 to allow outdoor dining in the rear courtyard serving Town House Restaurant at 559 Main Street and 72 Center Avenue, with a condition that the permit’s effectiveness be limited to common ownership or preserved via a legally binding agreement if ownership changes.
Applicants Thomas Yagoda and Tom Middleton described plans to convert a portion of the rear courtyard and adjacent two‑story storage/garage building into an approximately 40‑seat alfresco dining area. They said access will be primarily through Town House and that refuse will be relocated to an enclosed area away from dining. The applicants said restaurant hours would follow existing operations — currently 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday — and that the outdoor furniture and planters are movable so the space can be cleared when needed.
The application package included a letter from the city parking department indicating municipal parking availability to meet required spaces for the combined site. Board members and staff discussed logistics including access through the alleyway, tenant windows facing the courtyard, trash and loading practices, and whether the courtyard would be closed to vehicle access during dining hours. The applicants said furniture and planters would be removable and that refuse would be collected after business hours; they also said they had discussed the proposal with upstairs tenants and received their support.
Planning staff read conditions into the record requiring remediation of any city right‑of‑way damage during construction to DPW satisfaction and DPW permits for temporary obstructions. Staff also recommended and the board adopted a limitation on the permit tied to ongoing common ownership of 559 Main Street (Town House) and 72 Center; staff said the permit could also remain in effect after a sale if a legally binding agreement was recorded to preserve the dining arrangement. The applicant indicated acceptance of those conditions.
Public comment was limited to one resident, Tony O’Malley (34 Emerson), who voiced support for the proposal and for further downtown activation. After discussion, the board moved, seconded and approved the special permit unanimously.
The permit allows the seasonal outdoor dining area to proceed under the board‑read conditions; applicants and staff will coordinate final enclosure, trash relocation and any operational clarifications (for example, whether the alley will be closed during service hours) as part of permitting and any administrative follow‑ups.
