Forest Hills Streets To Open To Outdoor Dining

FOREST HILLS, QUEENS — Mayor Bill de Blasio's program turning streets into outdoor dining destinations is coming to Forest Hills starting this weekend.

Stretches of 70th Road and Austin Street will close to cars during set hours every weekend through October to give local restaurants more space to set up outdoor seating.

The Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce will oversee the closures, which apply to 70th Road between Austin Street and Queens Boulevard, and Austin Street between 72nd Avenue and 72nd Road.

Those blocks will be closed from 5 to 11 p.m. on Fridays and from noon to 11 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

“The street closure can really benefit the restaurants and at the same time bring the community together on these summer evenings," Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce President Leslie Brown said in a statement. "I encourage everyone to come out, invite friends and don't forget the other small businesses that you know and love by supporting them!"

As of this weekend, the Open Streets and Open Restaurants program will bring expanded outdoor dining options to 47 streets across the five boroughs.

De Blasio's administration launched the program July 2 in an effort to help businesses in the food and beverage industry, and the service workers they employ, as they struggle to stay afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.

The program, which was originally scheduled to end on Labor Day Weekend, will now run through October, de Blasio said Friday.

"Open Restaurants has given New Yorkers more than just a meal away from home – it has given our city a sign that better times are ahead,” de Blasio said. “I’m proud to give small businesses another two months to get back on their feet, and I’m looking forward to enjoying a meal on our expanded Open Street program soon.”

Indoor dining at limited capacity was poised to restart in New York City earlier this month, but officials delayed that plan due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in other parts of the country.

Nearly 9,000 New York City restaurants are offering some form of outdoor dining, according to city data.