Outdoor communal dining areas debut in Queens

Reimagining public spaces

The Rockwell Group is a high-end architecture firm that decided to offer services for free to smaller restaurants during the pandemic. Reported by Arthur Chi'en

NEW YORK - The Dineout NYC community outdoor dining areas expanded on Friday. It debuted in two locations in Queens: one in Elmhurst and the other in Jackson heights. Streets are fully closed off to create community spaces around several restaurants amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The restaurants pool the use of all the seating, which noncustomers are also welcome to use. Plexiglass dividers will be installed. All the artwork is by local artists with the help of local schoolchildren.

David Rockwell is the founder and president of the New York-based architecture and design firm the Rockwell Group, which started redesigning spaces for high-end clients. But then Rockwell decided to offer to help smaller restaurants for free. Rockwell posted modular designs on its website for anyone to copy.

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