Outdoor dining in Maplewood village has gotten more refined

MAPLEWOD — The village has a new look for the summer.

The hodge podge collection of outdoor seating protected by Jersey barriers is being replaced with uniform dining platforms protected by planters filled with gravel.

“A plan was formulated that would include safety, uniformity and be aesthetically pleasing,” said Ronnella B. Walker, who is the executive director of the Maplewood Village Alliance.

Extensive outside dining grew out of the pandemic and a desire to be outside. In the past, merchants were allowed to put out tables which were in turn protected by the concrete barriers placed around them for protection from cars and trucks.

“It made it look more like a construction zone rather than a place to enjoy outdoor dining,” Walker said. “It didn’t look aesthetically pleasing.”

Maplewood Mayor Nancy Adams spearheaded the effort to make the set up more attractive while keeping outdoor diners safe.

“Mayor Adams wanted something that was safe and aesthetically pleasing,” Walker said.

The village’s narrow sidewalks made outdoor dining difficult so when it became urgent during COVID, restaurants were allowed to take space normally used for parking.

“Outdoor dining is always good for the restaurants, the people who come to Maplewood and to bring life to the street,” Adams said. “We allowed them in the past but it made it look like a construction zone.”

Among the positives is the platforms provide a level dining experience as opposed to a table placed on the street, which can be uneven, Adams said.

The township had looked into purchasing prefab streetaries from companies that specialize in that but found it to be too expensive, Adams said. The platforms, known as Streetaries, and barriers were created with input from Township Engineer Paul Kittner.

“Our DPW designed and built them at a much more reasonable cost,” she said. “We can weatherproof them and reuse them year after year.”

The restaurants have the option of putting prefab roofs on top of the platforms or using umbrellas.

“I hope the restaurants can get those roofs, I think they look better than umbrellas and they give more shade from the sun,” Adams said. “The roofs make it something people will use more frequently.”

There are regulations on what can be done to the platforms including no walls, doors or hanging of banners.

Four platforms had been set up by the end of last week; outside St. Jame’s Gate, Outer Borough Deli, Coda and Spot Diner with three more on the way. Able Baker had created its own streetery at considerable expense so they will continue using it and Village Coffee has an outdoor dining location in the parking lot adjacent to it rather than in front of it on Maplewood Avenue. Baker Street Market will be getting a streetery in the near future.

There is a permit fee of $425 for the streetery plus a $2 right of way fee.

“The township is doing their best to absorb cost and not put pressure on the merchants,” Walker said.

The platforms will be in place until Nov. 15. The Maplewood Village Alliance (MVA) is paying for the planters which provide protection for diners from errant traffic. The MVA is the management corporation of the Maplewood Village Special Improvement District, a self-governed entity that funds itself primarily by a special tax assessment on commercial properties within the improvement district.

Maplewood Avenue will remain open to traffic except when special events are planned requiring it be closed, Walker said.

“We are excited that the platforms are in and the planters are there and we anticipate a beautiful and prosperous and wonderful dining experience,” Walker said. “We are excited to see how Maplewoodians respond and get their input on how to make this better season after season.”

  Maplewood, Maplewood Village Alliance, outdoor dining