Free Public Spaces (Atriums) (taxation, zoning, restaurants)

[ebbyd]

Does anyone know about having small group meetings in the public spaces? Are they allowed and does anyone know any decent ones in the Times Square area? Thx

[grimace8]

Originally Posted by ebbyd

Does anyone know about having small group meetings in the public spaces? Are they allowed and does anyone know any decent ones in the Times Square area? Thx

Hi ebbyd. How many people will be in your meeting? Enclosed, free-of-charge atriums can be loud with echoes and therefore not ideal for meetings, especially in the summer with groups of kids on field trips. I would imagine each atrium has their own set of rules. Some restaurants can be pretty cool about small meetings - Simply ask them. If Zen Palate (9th Avenue @ 46th Street) is cool about you having a meeting, they have a large dining room in their back section, so they might be one to ask. They're 2 avenues west of Times Square. Another option might be Mother Burger or Blockheads (1 avenue west of the Times Square area). To my knowledge, both use Worldwide Plaza's large outdoor public space to seat customers. The lack of a roof IMO dissipates sound and would be - if permitted - a good place for a small meeting. You might try asking the security guards who work at Worldwide Plaza re: the plaza's policy. I do know it's free and public.

[Kefir King]

Originally Posted by ebbyd

Does anyone know about having small group meetings in the public spaces? Are they allowed and does anyone know any decent ones in the Times Square area? Thx

They are definitely allowed but the companies that built them (in return for VERY GENEROUS waivers of zoning and taxation) often make them as unconfortable as possible. Some will even install security that will tell you ILLEGALLY what you cannot do.

The City should enforce these public zones as PUBLIC and paste huge fines on reneging companies.

But Bloomberg is mayor, and that fact speaks volumes.

[ebbyd]

Thanks so much for your replies