Downtown Syracuse Business and Property Owners,

The past week has been a series of ups and downs. Just this afternoon, Governor Cuomo added outdoor dining to the list of industries eligible to reopen under Phase Two of the New York Forward Reopening plan. Outdoor dining can begin tomorrow, June 4, in Central NY and other regions of the state that qualified for Phase Two of reopening. Right now, the City of Syracuse is drafting outdoor dining COVID-19 protocols and will issue guidance before the end of this week.
 
Reflecting back on the last few days, just one day after our retail businesses were permitted to reopen under Phase Two, and hours after hundreds of peaceful protesters focused renewed attention on the racial inequities still rife in our community, a small group of individuals caused physical damage to 20 downtown storefronts, with significant inventory losses to a number of retail businesses.

By the next morning, the community – made up of residents, business owners, protesters from Saturday’s march, downtown supporters, elected officials, and City and Downtown Committee staff – showed up for downtown, wielding brooms, dustpans, and encouragement to help our neighborhood recover and move forward.

Downtown Syracuse – with a renewed sense of purpose, inclusivity, and tenacity – is open for business.
 
For businesses struggling with physical losses from this weekend, please contact our Economic Development team director Heather Schroeder at (315) 412-7878 or [email protected] . We are working with our partners in private philanthropy and in local, state, and federal government to identify financial resources that may help you rebuild inventory and reopen your doors.


Phase Two – Retail, Salons, Offices, Real Estate … and Outdoor Dining!
Gov. Cuomo added outdoor dining to the list of industries eligible to reopen under Phase Two of the New York Forward Reopening plan. State guidance for restaurants with outdoor dining is available here , and we expect guidance from The City of Syracuse in the next day.
 
Central NY entered Phase Two last Friday, and eligible businesses in the following industries must (1) certify online that they understand the detailed reopening guidelines for their industry, and ( 2) fill in and print a Business Safety Plan to keep on file at their workplace:


(For detailed industry guidelines for Phase One industries, please click here . Not sure if your business is eligible to reopen at this time? Check here . Have questions related to re-opening? Read through Empire State Development’s FAQ here .)
 
Once you have certified your business online and printed your business safety plan , be sure to send your hours of operation and any specials to [email protected] so we can add you to our growing list of reopened businesses .
 
 
Restaurant Resources
The New York State Restaurant Association (NYSRA) is distributing free masks provided by New York State to restaurants and food delivery drivers in New York. The masks are 1-ply cloth, reusable and washable. Masks will be available on a first-come, first-served basis; please order here in advance to reserve your free masks. Pick-up details are as follows:
 
Thursday June 4 | 2 - 4 p.m.
Kitty Hoyne's Irish Pub
301 W Fayette St, Syracuse, NY 13202 ​

NYSRA encourages restaurants to let third party delivery drivers know that they may pick up masks as well, or restaurants can include delivery drivers in their employee count and distribute masks to them at their locations.

Also, NYSRA is currently providing free industry guidance and webinars on its website . To join their weekday email update, please email [email protected] . To print the “New York Restaurant Promise” outlining safety expectations for employees and guests, click here .