City of Albany Announces Upcoming Extended Patio & Outdoor Café Program Season

The City of Albany is kicking-off another season of the highly-anticipated Extended Patio & Outdoor Café program designed to assist local eateries by providing safe and socially distanced dining opportunities. Announcement press release, here.

The City will allow businesses to expand their outdoor cafés further into the sidewalk while providing necessary space for pedestrians to safely traverse, and by allowing pedestrians to utilize the parking lane with additional barricades so the entire depth of the sidewalks can be utilized for outdoor dining. The City is utilizing several methods to ensure pedestrian safety and continued ADA compliance, including temporary barricades and ramps.

Businesses that have already applied for a Sidewalk Café permit need to submit a dimensioned plan of the proposed café area, a Certificate of Insurance, and provide notice to the New York State Liquor Authority. A list of FAQs and the Application for a Revocable Street Permit can be found here.

This program is made possible through New York State’s continued SLA guidance and the continued Emergency Orders issued by Mayor Sheehan allowing the City of Albany to creatively assist local eateries by establishing safe, socially distanced dining opportunities.