This report features their ideas. It includes creative policy recommendations from more than twenty experts. They received more than 40 concrete ideas grouped into five main areas;

• Design, build, and install winterized outdoor space for restaurants and retailers
• Rethink rules, regulations, and permitting around sidewalks, streets, and public space.
• Enlist New York business, design, and tech talent to help small businesses
• Provide microgrants and technical assistance to aid the transition to pop-up, online, and outdoor operations
• Tap vacant storefronts for land swaps, pop-ups, social infrastructure, and more

As COVID19 restrictions and public safety concerns limit indoor activities, restaurants, entertainment, public events, social gatherings and more have turned to the outdoors. This has been a great lifeline during the spring and summer but will become challenging during the colder, darker winter months. This program seeks ideas and designs for quickly implementable, low cost interventions to drive visitors back to Main Street that will encourage them to stay longer and patronize area restaurants and businesses. Final designs will then be published in an open-source “Winter Places” activation guide book with full credit given to the respective designers.