#SocialTheSquare: Shop and Dine Responsibly on O’Donnell Street

In the new reality of physically distancing our everyday lives how do we interact responsibly, support our local businesses, and still maintain some level of a social life? Well, that’s not an easy answer, but a group of local neighbors and businesses, led by Torbin Green and backed by the CCA and Team LNC, are trying to help with a new initiative called Project #SocialTheSquare. (And by social, we mean community at a distance!)

The first step in the process is tackling the challenge of dining out. We all want to support our favorite restaurants, but inside dining is proving to be problematic. So, the merchants of O’Donnell Square have received a temporary permit from the City of Baltimore to close O’Donnell Street between Potomac and Linwood Avenues and extend outdoor dining into the street 7 days a week. With the additional space available, the goal is for restaurants to be able to add the required 6’ of space between dining tables to comply with CDC guidelines. This will allow neighbors and visitors alike to support the local restaurants while maintaining the recommended distance for dining during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Look for construction of the new dining areas or “parklets” similar to those in our neighboring Fell’s Point to begin immediately with daily dining starting on or around Friday, August 14. Permit hours are from 10 am-12 am, but hours of service will vary per restaurant.

Residents need to know this will affect traffic patterns and parking around O’Donnell Square Park. There will be no parking or through traffic on O’Donnell Street between Potomac and Linwood Avenues. However, there will be one interior lane open for deliveries to merchants, access for people with disabilities to be dropped off or picked up, and for emergency vehicles. This is not to be used as a route for local traffic. Any vehicles parked within the designated zones are subject to towing. To support our community, organizers are asking vehicles be “relocated” nearby instead of towed to an impound lot to avoid the fines involved with recovering a towed vehicle.

Here is an overview of the guidelines of the permit.

• O’Donnell Street is closed between Potomac and Linwood Avenues 7 days a week. Starting at 10 am, restaurants will set up for the day and by 11:00 pm they will break down before midnight.

• One lane (the interior lane typically used for parking) will remain open for emergency vehicles and deliveries only. This is not to be used for local traffic.

• No parking is permitted in the restricted zones.

• Pick up & delivery only parking spaces are located on the East and West ends of O’Donnell Square on Potomac & Linwood Avenues.

• Participating retail stores will have a designated parking space in front of their business.

• All dining areas in the street must incorporate “Safety First” hard barriers (railing, barricade, planters, etc.)

• Diners are asked to follow the directional signage. Look for the enter and exit signs.

• Patrons must be seated and served by wait staff.

• Consumption of alcohol must remain within the fixed areas.

• No alcohol is permitted outside of the designated dining areas.

• No alcohol is permitted in O’Donnell Square Park.

• This permit has been approved by the BCFD Operations* division.

The second step of Project #SocialTheSquare is to support the equally-vital retail and service businesses of O’Donnell Square. To do so, the team has been engaging in active discussions with the merchants to create a plan that includes providing access to their locations while the permit is in place. Each merchant who has a city-issued parking permit will receive a designated parking space in front of their business. In addition, there are designated parking spots on the East and West ends of The Square to be used for pick up and delivery only. Along with this, please remember the businesses are easily accessible via parking on a nearby side street. It’s so important we shop local and support our small businesses. So, when you’re dining outside or picking up carryout, stop by one of the retail stores and buy a little something for your family, a friend, a neighbor, or even yourself.

The third step of Project #SocialTheSquare is you! We need your support as a community to make this work. Wear your masks, keep physical distance, and follow the permit protocol. And, please have patience as this is new to us all and may take a little trial and error to make this work. To do so, your feedback is important to us. If you want to give a shout out to a restaurant that’s doing a great job at following guidelines, send us an email. If you see a problem or something that’s not going great, let us know that, too. The only way this is going to work is if we all support one another. Let’s be kind and stay safe as we navigate this national health crisis together.  Any questions or suggestions should be directed to Torbin Green, outreach@cantoncommunity.org.

Thank you, all. Stay safe and get neighborly (from a distance!).

PS: We know we’re calling this Project #SocialTheSquare, but this is really just one part of how we as residents can support our entire community. Please extend your responsible dining and shopping to all areas of our Canton. #ShopLocal #ShopSmall #DineLocal

*Permit ROW020-SE102899, issued by the Baltimore City Department of Transportation (DOT) for Outdoor Extensions, is for temporary use and will expire when the State of Emergency is declared over or revised by Executive Order. The permit includes guidelines from the Baltimore City Liquor Board, Medics, Fire Marshal, Health Department, Police, and Department of Transportation.