Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Sidewalk cafes causing problems in Astoria

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From CBS 2:

“Ditmars Boulevard is evolving into a very, a tourist-attracted area,” said Florence Koulouris, District Manager of Queens Community Board 1.

Koulouris confirmed that more restaurants are opening, and more owners want to accommodate customers in the open air. She expects by year’s end, nearly 200 establishments will be permitted to do so.

The Pomeroy, 36-12 Ditmars Blvd., may be one of them. On Tuesday evening, the board voted in favor of outdoor seating there, with four tables and a total of eight seats.

Some neighbors are not happy about it.

“The community is furious because it’s run like a bar,” said Nicholas Vagenas, owner of American Woodworking next door. “People are on the street till 2, 3 in the morning.”

Vanegas showed CBS2 photos taken outside, with crowds of people hanging out on the sidewalk.

“They really don’t take care of the outside or their patrons,” Vanegas said. “They come out, they vomit on our doorways.”

Vanegas said he was not the only one who felt that way. Owners at Magic Nail Design and Spa, Astoria NY Furniture, and the Fabric Center all signed letters of opposition addressed to the Community Board.

“Plus, we lose the sidewalk,” Vanegas said. “We will not have room to pass.”


The problem is once you allow one sidewalk cafe, you have to allow them all. Too many restaurants are situated in one area.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Astoria is vile. Filthy, and noisy. You couldn't pay me to eat in any of these outdoor seating areas. If you want outdoor seating, get a property with a yard, or do a rooftop. Keep the sidewalks for walking. Disgusting hipster and wannabe Euro-trash filth.

Roger said...

We wake up to vomit on our street every Saturday and Sunday morning in Astoria, and we don't live near any sidewalk cafes, so I'm not sure you can blame them.

JQ LLC said...

Those people interviewed that support this sound like alien pods consumed their bodies, or like new recruits for scientology.

I seen tons of restaurants in Manhattan that have this el fresco nonsense and they are virtually empty most of the time. What was more hysterical is that these joints had tables outside during inclement weather and the winter time. This is getting absurd.

The only counter response those establishments complaining about it is to put outside seating themselves, despite the fact that they don't sell food or booze. Since anything goes now.

Anonymous said...

It's disgusting. Who wants to eat on the street with all of the noise and vehicular pollution on your plate?

Anonymous said...

Euro-trash cafes. Idiots pretending to be in Crete or Tuscany when they are in Ass-toria Queens.
Who needs virtual reality. Queens is surreal!

Anonymous said...

Funny how after 40 years of being decrepit and no one caring about shit, a place finally has some economic life and people complain. Here's an idea. Sell your place at a huge profit, and move to Utica. There you will find peace and quiet.

Anonymous said...

I think all the outdoor seating is great in the summer. It feels like Europe and their street are even more narrow.

You people need to chill out.

Anonymous said...

Same shit in some areas of Manhattan or hipster Brooklyn.
Let's face it, without these Astoria cafes, WTF does the area have to offer but ignorance and dullness.
Queens is a backward borough. Can't wait until I hit the numbers big time and move to Manhattan. Groan!

Anonymous said...

Nowhere to park anyway.

Anonymous said...

Sidewalk café add to the neighborhood for the good. Gives that European feeling and look.

I do understand if those people who live next to them would be against them because of the noise late at night. They must sleep too.

Joe Moretti said...

Really, sidewalk cafes cause problems. Ah, Jamaica has not one sidewalk cafe.

While I do like to eat outdoors, I certainly do not want to be outdoors where traffic and trucks are zooming by picking up all kind of dust and dirt, nor do I want to have to eat outdoors with someone asking me for change or other bullshit. Sidewalk cafe are appropriate for the right area.

Bottom line, you will never please everyone in this city. Me, I like the outdoor seating, even before I moved to this hell hole called NYC.

Anonymous said...

Jamaica does to have sidewalk cafes,I see people eating right out of the gutter,half eaten food that's free,
I dare you to drop a half eaten burger in the street and see how long it last.

Anonymous said...

Ah, Jamaica has not one sidewalk cafe.

Hahahaha, good one! No easy targets for drive by-s I guess.

Anonymous said...

I think all the outdoor seating is great in the summer. It feels like Europe and their street are even more narrow.


Sidewalk café add to the neighborhood for the good. Gives that European feeling and look.

The good of what?

If you want the feel of Europe, go to Europe.

JQ LLC said...

"Funny how after 40 years of being decrepit and no one caring about shit, a place finally has some economic life and people complain"

"I think all the outdoor seating is great in the summer. It feels like Europe and their street are even more narrow.You people need to chill out"

Anyone catch that drive by in chelsea the other day. Some pretentious eatery cum bar with outdoor seating. Turns out the victim was some ex-con scam artist who was a regular there.

Just worth mentioning that the existence of sidewalk cafe's does not reduce crime and blight. And it was in an area where little ass condos sell for millions.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/man-27-shot-sitting-bentley-chelsea-restaurant-article-1.2645724

Anonymous said...

I think all the outdoor seating is great in the summer. It feels like Europe and their street are even more narrow.

You people need to chill out.

ASTORIA RESTAURANT OWNER HAS SPOKEN.

Anonymous said...

Restaurants are a plague to the community - opening up windows blasting music, taking 80% of the public sidewalk, loud noise that drives residents away (which brings in transients or even more construction and density) - can't think of a single reason that sidewalk cafes are good.

Outside is dirty, noisy, hot and muggy, polluted.

I am tired of being told to turn down my electric use during a heat wave and then walk outside next to politically connected eateries that are air-conditioning the sidewalk.

Finally, communities needs a diversity of stores and retail. No one wants to live on fraternity row with one gin mill after another.

It makes an area a slum.

The only problem here is the blight is moving up to 23 Ave and those people always thought they were better than the rest of Astoria when the reality is the area, which never looked that well built to start out, will take a nose dive once the abuse that lower Astoria has faced for 30 years finally creeps up there.

Anonymous said...

Outdoor cafés belong on a pristine hilltop overlooking the wondrous sea. Who wants to eat on a dirty sidewalk surrounded by bus fumes, derelicts, and gawkers?

Anonymous said...

Astoria's residents are hard up for atmosphere. They will eat in the middle of a roadwa island if bistro tables and umbrellas can be put in.
"Look, we're dining on some Greek isle with a view of the Agean!" LOL! Undereducated Euro trash!

georgetheatheist said...

Do what I do - portable outdoor eating:

Chinese take-out while sitting on a sheetrock bucket.

Anonymous said...

Note to Mediterranean hillbillies and mid-western chaff:

There's about 3,000 years of culture after we learned to gnaw on knuckle bones.

Its just food: unless you were born in a gulag, or spent your adolescence in a Burger King, get over it.

Stop taking those damn pictures and get a life!

Anonymous said...

We Heart Astoria?

There is more to Astoria than your very limited vision.

Get out of those cafes and your tedious paid rave reviews and actually get into the neighborhood.

You might be surprised.

Anonymous said...

Not to mention "dining with dogs" ...