YPSILANTI, MI – Shoppers and diners will have nearly two more months to patronize Ypsilanti businesses outside.
Ypsilanti City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to extend the street closures on North Washington and East Cross streets until Nov. 1 to allow for more time to enjoy expanded outdoor dining and shopping, weather permitting. The closures were slated to end after Labor Day.
Several business owners spoke in support of the extension, saying the outdoor dining and shopping options has helped them recoup losses from the severe economic activity slowdown during the early months of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The idea behind street closures is by giving businesses more space, capacity would expand, and customers could spread apart outside, lowering the risk of potentially spreading COVID-19, officials previously said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says outdoor activity is the least risky public activity.
Restaurant owners have said they were able to keep more staff because of the increase in tables available with outdoor seating. Other business owners expressed the positive nature of people walking around the commercial districts.
“We’ve had really nothing but positive comments about giving residents a place to come outside, walk the street, be safe, wear a mask and get to do a bit of either window shopping or actual shopping,” John Newman, an employee of downtown co-working space Back Office Studio, said at the meeting.
The city will slightly change a special event permit issued to close the two roads that run through the commercial districts in the city: the new condition says no live music or DJs.
During discussion, Councilman Anthony Morgan, D-Ward 3, said he was unsure of whether it was fair to extend the closures because it only benefits businesses in the Downtown Development Authority’s area.
“We’re giving some people steak and other people crumbs,” Morgan said.
Even businesses where street closures were not possible to use, the DDA used “creative solutions” like rear access seating or alleyways to add about 25% of a business’ footprint, Executive Director Christopher Jacobs said in a memo to council.
During the meeting, Jacobs said other communities around the country are facing the same question of possible extensions as the summer ends and of how to help businesses outside of the downtown core. He said elsewhere in the city, he’s seen some businesses use their parking lots for seating or clothing racks.
“There’s no perfect equity in those places,” Jacobs said of other communities using street closures.
Closures will continue from East Cross Street from Rice to River streets in Depot Town; North Washington Street from Pearl to Michigan Avenue and South Washington Street between Michigan Avenue and the South Huron parking lot.
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