Syracuse, N.Y. — Weekends on Walton are coming back.
That means Armory Square’s main business artery — Walton Street — will be closed to traffic and open for expanded outdoor dining on Fridays and Saturday this summer and into the fall. Restaurants set up tables along the curb and serve customers in what would normally be parking spaces.
It’s continuation of an outdoor dining expansion that originated during the height of the Covid pandemic last year, when many bars and restaurants were struggling due to capacity limits, social distancing rules and more.
Even with the pandemic, and the rules, easing up this year, the city decided to bring it back in 2021. It begins June 4 and 5 and should last into the fall.
“It was a boon for business downtown last year,” Mayor Ben Walsh said today in announcing what the city calls a “reboot” of the outdoor dining / street closing scheme. “It became an attraction, it brought people downtown. .. It makes too much sense not to continue this year.”
There are some tweaks. Last year, the street closings lasted from Friday morning to Sunday morning, providing three full days and nights of outdoor seating. This year, the street closing hours are scaled back to two days and nights, from 7 a.m. Fridays until 7 a.m. Sundays.
Another change as that the closing will only affect the 100 block of Walton (from South Clinton to South Franklin), and part of the 200 block (from South Franklin to the Onondaga Creekwalk). Last year, the closing continued in the portion of the 200 block that curved around to West Fayette Street. This year, that stretch will be available for vehicle access and parking.
As was the case last year, the cross streets (Clinton and Franklin) remain open.
The changes came after the city conducted a survey of area business owners and other interested parties in Armory Square. More than 90% favored a return of the street closings, with some minor adjustments.
Even with fewer restrictions on indoor dining this year, restaurant owners are happy to see the expanded outdoor dining return.
“I think it can only benefit everyone to have more seating outside when the weather is good,” said Ahmad Zatar, a partner at Pita Dream, a Middle Eastern restaurant that opened at 214 Walton St. amid the pandemic (and the street closure) last summer.
“Look, we only get four months of good weather each year,” said Matt Bartelson, managing partner at The Hops Spot burger and poutine bar at 116 Walton St. “And we know people love to sit outside in good weather. So this gives us a whole summer with expanded seating.
“With more people willing to come out now,” Bratelson said, “I think it’s going to be even more popular than last year.”
In addition to Pita Dream and The Hops Spot, other participating restaurants to start the 2021 Weekends on Walton season are The Limerick Pub and The Blue Tusk in the 100 block of Walton and Margarita’s Mexican Cantina, Kasai Ramen and Sakana-Ya, in the 200 block between South Franklin and Onondaga Creek.
More restaurants may added in future weeks.
Although many restaurants suffered greatly during the pandemic, many in downtown Syracuse have managed to stay open or reopen, said Merike Treier, executive director of the Downtown Committee of Syracuse.
Almost 90% of all downtown businesses have reopened, she said. And there are six new businesses that have opened since the pandemic began in the 100 and 200 blocks of Walton Street alone.
“This (the outdoor dining expansion) is just another great way to help these businesses recover,” she said.
She also noted that the start of Weekends on Walton this year coincides with the beginning of the Downtown Committee’s Summer Dining Weeks promotion, in which restaurants offer special lunch and dinner deals from June 1 to June 13.
Read more: Summer Dining Weeks deals return to downtown Syracuse in June
Mayor Ben Walsh, joined Thursday by Armory Square restaurant owners, common councilors and others, announces the return of the expanded outdoor seating program on Walton Street this summer.Don Cazentre
Don Cazentre writes for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on Twitter or Facebook.
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On-street outdoor dining returns to Syracuse’s Armory Square this summer - syracuse.com
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