Community Board 2 committee recommends Blue Bottle sidewalk cafe at 2 Astor Place

The Community Board 2 Quality of Life Committee voted to recommend approval of an unenclosed sidewalk cafe permit from the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) for Blue Bottle Coffee at 2 Astor Place.

Joe Gallagher, chair of the Quality of Life Committee at Community Board 2, said the committee could “just take a vote” with five members present and that the result would be a recommendation to the full community board rather than a formal resolution.

Ben Savitsky, attorney with Bernstein Rado representing Blue Bottle Coffee Inc., described the proposed cafe as "a relatively small sidewalk cafe. There are only 3 tables, 6 seats, 2 seats at each table," and said the sidewalk at the site measures 20 feet, 3 and a quarter inches. "We're at 9 feet 10 inches, and that's inclusive of the 3 foot service aisle," he said, adding the layout complies with DCA requirements and that the Landmarks Preservation Commission had approved the proposed setup.

Viraj, identified as the location operations lead for the Blue Bottle at Astor Place, told the committee the company's cafes were closed at the time of the meeting and that Blue Bottle planned a phased reopening. "We are not open right now. All our cafes are closed, for 3 months. We are reopening cafes in a tier based manner, starting May 29," Viraj said, and described procedures for mobile ordering, sanitized iPads for ordering and staff personal protective equipment.

The application includes three small circular tables (six seats total) immediately outside the cafe. Savitsky stated the proposed seating would occupy just under half of the sidewalk in line with DCA rules and that hours for the sidewalk cafe would match the store: opening at about 8 a.m. Monday through Saturday (10 a.m. on Sunday) and closing nightly at 7 p.m. He said scaffolding on the building, installed in January and expected to remain for several weeks, must be removed before Blue Bottle could obtain a DCA permit and begin operating the patio in practice.

Committee members asked about public-safety and operational details including seating distances under social-distancing guidance, restroom access, a sidewalk grate near the site, and fee payments to DCA. Savitsky and Viraj said Blue Bottle would follow any public-health restrictions in force when the cafe opens, would not operate beyond the hours stated without returning to the board, and would follow DCA guidance on permitting and any fee assessment. A committee member noted that some businesses have operated sidewalk seating under scaffolding when clearance requirements were met; Savitsky said the company would not pull a permit until scaffolding was removed in accordance with the contractor and building manager's schedule.

With five members present the committee took a voice vote to recommend approval. Committee members voiced support in sequence; there was no recorded opposition. Because the meeting lacked a quorum for a binding committee resolution, the committee’s approval will be forwarded as a recommendation for a vote by the full Community Board 2.

Next steps: The recommendation will be placed on the full board agenda and DCA will consider Blue Bottle’s sidewalk cafe permit application after required conditions (including scaffolding removal and DCA review) are met.