Manhattan CB2 outdoor-dining group issues mixed approvals, denies several roadway cafes with modifications

Stella Fitzgerald, vice chair of the Manhattan Community Board 2 Outdoor Dining Working Group, presided over the Feb. 10 meeting and said the board would review six outdoor-dining applications and make advisory recommendations to the Department of Transportation (DOT).

The board heard public testimony and applicant presentations on roadway and sidewalk café proposals from Wines and Vintages Inc. (d/b/a Cork Wine Bar, 69 Thompson St.), 222 Cassiel LLC (d/b/a Crispy Heaven, 222 Lafayette St.), Little Hen (155 Bleecker St./Thompson St. frontage), Zondra Hospitality LLC (d/b/a Cabin, 300 Spring St.), West Village LLC (63 Carmine St.), and RHNY Guest House (55 Gansevoort St.). Public commenters raised recurring concerns about pedestrian clearance, unauthorized merchandise and platforms, and emergency-vehicle access on narrow streets.

“The street is a very, very narrow, neighborhood street,” public commenter Darlene Lutz said of Thompson Street, adding, “Any outdoor dining sheds on this street are an impediment to traffic flow.” Committee members repeatedly returned to emergency-access and FDNY waiver rules, citing the risk on narrow north–south streets where large apparatus must operate.

Applicant Natalia Shklar, owner of Cork Wine Bar, described design changes to shorten the roadside cafe to 13.5 feet and said DOT had asked that the roadway-cafe width be set to 6.5…