Adams Morgan tears down temporary streateries, gets ready for permanent street dining

WASHINGTON — Will streateries become permanent in D.C.?

Since the pandemic, restaurants and bars have taken over sides of streets for new sections, but their future has always been up in the air. That may change with a new pilot program that is launching in Adams Morgan.

On 18th Street, crews tore down the temporary dining structures all week.

“We had a dilapidated structure (up the street), then we had (another one) that looked like it was made by a 12-year-old for a science project,” Pitchers DC bar owner David Perruzza said.

Perruzza is among the people happy to see the makeshift dining rooms go.

“It was like a third world country in some of them,” he said.

While he wasn’t a fan of some of the constructions, he said he is grateful for the role the streateries played.  

“It kind of saved our lives during the pandemic because the mayor wasn't allowing people inside,” he said.

But he hasn’t used the space since.

Up the street, people sat at the remaining tables, while workers dismantled coverings and fences.   

“I saw this construction earlier today and I thought it was temporary, but to hear (the District) is getting rid of them is a bit concerning,” one diner named Ben said. “Usually I just like getting the sunlight in because I’m sitting inside all day.”

The good news for Ben is that the streateries aren’t going away for good.

Kristen Barden of the neighborhood’s Business Improvement District said this week the District Department of Transportation will remove the old structures, then next week D.C. will start to install permanent up-to-code streatery structures.  

“The new streateries will have railings and a shade structure that's a retractable canvas roof,” Barden said.

As part of the pilot program, each business got to customize their outdoor look.

“The businesses were able to choose the color of the railing on the new streateries,” Baren explained.  

That includes Perruzza at Pitchers, who said, he may change his mind about streateries.

“It's supposed to be more secure,” he said.  “So it'll be easier for my security team to watch. So I might actually use it again.”