Starting Tuesday night, several businesses and restaurants in Tampa will get a chance to dramatically increase the number of customers they serve.
It’s all part of an innovative project called “Lift up Local”. The idea, spearheaded by Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, shuts down city streets in some key areas of Tampa for the next two weeks, allowing those businesses to set up a lot more outdoor seating.
The city temporarily waived the permit process to give retailers and restaurants more outdoor space to serve more customers.
“We’re really just trying to do what we can,” said Mayor Castor, “To get our small businesses back on their feet.”
For folks like restaurant owner Jeff Gigante, Lift up Local is the difference between getting by and returning to profitability.
The 25 percent indoor seating limit, he said, just wasn’t going to cut it. But this will.
“We’ve got to find a way back to building up a war chest. And becoming profitable again. This is going to give us that opportunity,” said Gigante.
The outdoor seating comes with strict guidelines set out by the governor’s phase one order.
Tables have to be at least six feet apart. Tents must meet safety guidelines and have open airflow. Common areas must be frequently wiped-down and sanitized. Workers will be wearing masks.
There are also no gathering allowed. No standing around. It’s reservations only.
“We’re taking peoples’ temperatures before we let them in to sit,” said Gigante. “I mean could you imagine that there would ever come a time that this was happening?”
The city says businesses participating in “Lift Up Tampa” first have to make sure it’s okay with their landlord or property manager. And, where needed, accommodations must be made for those with disabilities.
The Florida Department of Health here in Hillsborough County says it was not approached by the City of Tampa to ask if they thought expanding outdoor seating would pose any sort of safety or health risk. But a spokesman says as long as it falls within the governor’s phase one order to open up Florida’s economy and CDC guidelines, they would be okay with it.
For now, six Locations will see closures 24/7. A seventh location on S. Howard Avenue is closed daily between 5 and 10 p.m.
Several other businesses will be allowed to use parking lots or adjacent city parking spaces to expand their outdoor footprint as well.
The city says it will consider expanding the program if the pilot project is successful and safe.
“My first and foremost responsibility is the health and well-being of all of our citizens,” said Mayor Castor. “And then secondly, is the economic health. You know, getting us back on our feet economically and back to the new sense of normal.”
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