The Planning and Development Department (PD) recommends extending the More Space: Main Street Program, currently set to expire on March 31, 2022, by an additional 12 months or the end of all City-adopted COVID directives, whichever is later. The program allows the PD and the City Traffic Engineer to maintain closure of portions of Main Street, between Commerce Street and Rusk Street, not needed for continuous vehicle throughput and reallocate that street space as “reclaimed pedestrian area” to be made available to restaurants and bars that face the street to use as customer-serving spaces.

 

PD continues to coordinate with a wide range of city departments, as well as external partners that include Downtown District and METRO, to provide a program that supports businesses while providing safe access and use.

 

The More Space: Main Street Program, will continue to:

• Allow restaurants and bars to serve customers by establishing temporary enclosures and setting up tables and chairs. 
• Be entirely voluntary and charge no fees for participation in this program.
• Assign businesses who apply, the responsibility to apply for participation in the program, design their space per the City’s Design Guide, and receive appropriate permissions or permits from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.

 

Four businesses currently participate in the More Space: Main Street Program, with one additional business with an approved design not yet constructed. The participants were surveyed about the experience; all participants referenced benefits from the program, including an increase in revenue and safety, and customer and employee retention due to the partial closing of Main Street. The Greater Houston Restaurant Association and Downtown District have both submitted letters of support for the extension of the program.

 

This item was presented to the Quality of Life Council Committee on January 26, 2022.

 

The Planning and Development Department recommends that City Council approve the extension of the More Space: Main Street program.

 

 

 

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Margaret Wallace Brown, AICP, CNU-A

Director
Planning and Development Department