Houston Main Street outdoor dining here to stay

HOUSTON - Main Street outdoor dining in Downtown Houston is officially here to stay more than two years after it was implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.

There was zero debate from city council members on whether to make Main Street dining permanent, voting unanimously rather quickly on Wednesday.

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The More Space: Main Street program was first approved as a pilot in November 2020 and spans from Commerce Street to Rusk.

This all came to be from the COVID-19 pandemic and the restaurant restrictions that followed. Seven blocks of Main Street were used to create outdoor dining spaces to keep restaurants afloat while maintaining social distancing. 

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According to the city, five businesses are currently participating in the program and all have reported benefits from such including an increase in revenue, safety and customer and employee retention.

The city also plans to work with the Downtown District on a long-term design for the space that meets all city codes and requirements.