Philadelphia debuts prototype streeteries at LOVE Park for outdoor dining

PHILADELPHIA - Crews are working to bring an outdoor dining blueprint to life in Philadelphia as the city rolls out two new prototype streetery displays, according to city officials. The setups at LOVE Park give residents, business owners and visitors a firsthand look at what the future of street-side dining could look like.

Testing new outdoor dining setups at LOVE Park

What we know:

The prototypes are positioned in the parking lanes on JFK Boulevard, transforming the area into a testing ground for layout, comfort and safety. 

City officials want people to grab food from nearby food trucks, enjoy the space and leave feedback on how to make the setups better. Visitors can scan QR codes printed on the tabletop displays to fill out the official feedback survey, which will be accepted through November 23. 

The temporary streeteries are open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. through Thanksgiving.

Timeline:

Karen Fegely, the Acting Commerce Director, said the plan is to have the survey wrapped up in the next month and the designs finalized by the end of the year. 

"The plan is to have the survey wrapped up in the next month, have the designs wrapped up at the end of the year, and really get people ready so that over the winter they can start working on this and be ready to roll out new outdoor dining options next summer," said Fegely.

Community reactions and city goals

What they're saying:

Many residents welcome expanding street-side dining across the city. 

"More places should do it. Like they say, we dance in the street, party in the streets—why not eat in the streets," said Brad Wilson. Gabriella Oppong said, "Good idea. It would create space for people to socialize. I think that will be nice." Robin Barg said, "Great idea. I love eating outside as much as I can. I think it’s great, it’s less noisy, and it’s lovely to enjoy the weather when you can."

Barg also commented on the challenge of lost parking spaces, saying, "They are [taking up parking] (laughs). What can you say? It’s give and take. It’s a city."

Local perspective:

While many residents welcome the concept, critics often point out that dining setups consume limited street parking. 

Despite the trade-offs, city officials believe streeteries are a beneficial asset to local business districts. Kristin Del Rossi, the Streets Commissioner, said using pre-approved blueprints will help speed up the approval process, including meeting accessibility requirements.