Whether they’re small, mid-size or large, sidewalk cafes add a bit of savoir faire to the Downtown landscape. Some are colorful, and all infuse more vibrancy into street life and offer a place to sit, relax and eat. And guess what? They’re growing. The DowntownDC BID’s 2012 Inventory of Sidewalk Cafes shows there are now 147—more than an 8% increase compared to 2011. Although our reporting methodology changed this year—we were able to capture exact seat numbers as opposed to approximate capacities—the nearly 4,400 seats tallied represent about a 70% increase in available seats from the previous year.
This is good news on several fronts. Outdoor dining can enhance Downtown as a physical place. The cafes not only promote the use and enjoyment of city space, they also enhance tourism, provide increased opportunities for handicapped accessibility to dining out, and have a dramatic impact on urban streetscapes by animating the environment.
According to this year’s survey, the fourth since 2009, the number of small, “intimate” cafes (with 1-20 seats) and mid-size ones (with 21-40 seats) have mushroomed, climbing about 59% and 105%, respectively, since 2009. Both make up about 77% of the available cafes within the DowntownDC BID area, which encompasses 138 blocks.
Taken collectively, the sidewalk cafes are a clear measure that Downtown is becoming a place where people want to, and can, have remarkable urban experiences. The cafes offer a variety of menu options, a place to see and be seen and meet friends and bring more pedestrians to the neighborhood. Whether patronized by residents, workers, sports fans or tourists, these expanding venues demonstrate that Downtown continues to be a safe place to live, work, play and visit.
How the DowntownDC BID area moved from having less than a handful of sidewalk cafes nearly fifteen years ago to several dozen today, is a testament to the renaissance that has taken place in Downtown. This resurgence has helped to alter the area’s image and identity from one perceived as “dull, dirty and dangerous” to that of a vibrant, thriving and dynamic urban center. At the heart of this transformation is the DowntownDC BID’s corps of highly visible Safety/Hospitality and Maintenance workers, known as SAMs.
From the beginning, these roving concierges, law enforcement aides and goodwill ambassadors have worked to create a safe and welcoming environment seven days a week, 363 days a year by serving as the ears, eyes and caretakers of Downtown. The Safety/Hospitality SAMs greet and assist Downtown workers, residents and visitors and maintain contact with emergency services and law enforcement officers should trouble arise. Maintenance SAMs provide vital services to maintain Downtown’s welcoming image by picking up litter and trash, sweeping sidewalks, removing gum and graffiti, planting flowers, hanging banners and painting public fixtures.
These factors, coupled with partnerships with public safety officials and property managers, all play a critical role in the choices that people make, including their decision to live, work and play in the DowntownDC BID area—and dine at outdoor cafes.
Working with partners in both the public and private realms, the DowntownDC BID continues to focus on creating remarkable urban experiences through exceptional placemaking. This entails refocusing attention on the quality of public spaces and infusing more sidewalk cafes into the landscape to create a sense of place and allow people to embrace the unique experience which Downtown DC offers.