‘Knocking It Outta the Park’ | ICYMI-College Park unveiled state-of-the-art restaurant patio for its downtown district
The College Park Main Street Association premiered its innovative outdoor dining area — the ‘College Parklet’
COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — Necessity, as it has often been said, can be the mother of invention. Such is true for sourcing the implementation of the newest addition to the Historic Main Street Business District.
Simply known as a ‘parklet’, or in this scenario, a ‘College Parklet.’ Also referred to as street seats or curbside seating, parklets are essentially customized public seating platforms that convert existing curbside parking spaces into usable spaces like seating for the community.
Just in time for fall, the new ‘College Parklet’ has transformed the seven parking spaces that ran parallel to the popular new eateries, such as, Johnny’s Chicken and Waffles, Virgil’s Gullah Kitchen and Bar, and The Real Milk and Honey into an 8”x 102”ft. full-service outdoor service patio for the trio to share.
This impressive ‘floating platform’ also comes complete with silver ceramic tiles, metallic framing, and a gauntlet of planters, fencing, and reflective stanchions for the patrons' safety.
The tables for each respective restaurant's designated seating for patrons are color-coded as follows:
Red - Johnny’s Chicken and Waffles
Blue - Virgil’s Gullah Kitchen and Bar
Gold - The Real Milk and Honey
Officially open to the public since last month, the College Parklet is the product of a suggestion from one of the CPMSA board members, Grace McPhillips-Lunsford, and the dedicated coalition of residents, restaurant owners, city officials as well as the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT).
“This is a perfect example of just taking a little, and making it work. We could have waited for years and spent millions of dollars to pay for this, but it was tangible,” attests Grace McPhillips-Lunsford, CPMSA Board Vice-Chair to Vox Pop ATL.
“We talked with the community. The community wanted it. They put their money where their home is. The city matched it. GDOT came on board. The Main Street Association pick up a little of the extra and now we have an outdoor dining space called ‘College Parklet.”
Shepherded by the College Park Main Street Association (CPMSA) back in 2020, the community initiative gathered something to the tune of $50,000 for the project.
For more information about the ‘College Parklet’ and other events happening in and around Historic Downtown College Park, visit their website.
For all the news that’s fit to click? Visit the Vox Pop ATL website and subscribe for news updates on Facebook.