Menlo Park: Sidewalk dining to expand on Santa Cruz Avenue

By Kevin Kelly, Daily News Staff Writer Posted: 08/31/2016 04:16:26 AM PDT Updated: 08/31/2016 11:23:19 PM PDT By Kevin Kelly Daily News Staff Writer MENLO PARK -- Menlo Park is finally ready to roll out an expanded downtown street dining program. What began as a pilot at Left Bank restaurant on Santa Cruz Avenue in May 2014 will expand to five additional eateries and a furniture store along the main downtown street as soon as October. All seven establishments enrolled in the program will receive "semi-permanent" concrete decking along the street, which entails the removal of two to three parking spaces outside each business. Street cafes outside Left Bank, LB Steak, Galata Bistro, Angelo Mio, Mademoiselle Colette, Bistro Vida and Harvest will provide seating for as many as 200 people. The city planned to begin construction in July, but improvements to meet federal disability requirements took longer than expected because of the sidewalk's cross slope and the need to "add railings along the sidewalk because of a trip hazard," according to Housing and Economic Development Manager Jim Cogan. Construction of the street cafes, all of which are between the 600 and 800 blocks of Santa Cruz, is to begin in September and last roughly three weeks. The street cafes will remain in place for three years, the life of each agreement. The cafes are designed to be easily taken out if there is a change of ownership or an establishment opts not to renew the agreement. Advertisement In May, the council authorized spending an additional $350,000 toward the program, on top of $165,000 allocated through the Downtown Specific Plan, for a total of $515,000 coming out of the 2016-17 budget. The businesses' combined share of the base design is $169,000, the city will cover the remaining 80 percent. The city has stated that each street cafe should be unique, but businesses must pay for any custom features. The program is open to additional businesses. Email Kevin Kelly at kkelly@bayareanewsgroup.com or call him at 650-391-1049.