Re-Ply, a New York City startup founded by architects Nick Flutter and Nikita Notowidigdo, is capitalizing on the recent city clampdown that is forcing thousands of restaurants to dismantle their outdoor dining sheds. The company has developed a modular system that allows them to build, customize, disassemble, refurbish, winterize, and store dining structures for restaurants. Re-Ply installs the structures in April, takes them down in December, and puts them back up in the spring, attracting a growing number of restaurateurs looking for a solution to the new regulations.
Many restaurants in the Big Apple had invested significant sums in building elaborate outdoor dining structures during the pandemic, but are now being forced to permanently dismantle them. Re-Ply has helped over 100 restaurants with materials for their 2025 permits, as only 2,600 restaurants applied for the new post-pandemic outdoor dining permits by an August 3 deadline. Restaurateur Stratis Morfogen of Diner24 is one of Re-Ply’s clients, rebuilding his outdoor space at a cost of around $35,000 to build, plus an additional $5800 a year for installation, maintenance, and storage.
Lowerline, a popular po-boy venue in Prospect Heights, is another satisfied Re-Ply customer. The restaurant’s new shed, built by the company, marks an improvement on their old structure and is leased for $1,200 per month, covering all necessary services. Re-Ply’s modular installations come with lightweight roofs, screens, a “rat-proof perimeter,” and customized finishing touches. Clients have the option to customize their structures, as seen with Morfogen choosing a pastel mauve shed to fit into the neighborhood.
Re-Ply was born out of necessity during the pandemic when businesses boarded up with plywood during protests. The architects collected the plywood, recycled it, and developed a simple outdoor barrier system that eventually evolved to modular dining structures. The company’s modular structures have proved to be a hit with restaurateurs looking to expand their outdoor seating capacity and comply with the new regulations. Re-Ply’s services offer a cost-effective and sustainable solution to the changing landscape of outdoor dining in New York City.
Restaurateurs like Morfogen believe that the city needed to address the issues of deteriorating outdoor dining structures that became homes for rats and vagrants. By partnering with companies like Re-Ply, restaurants are able to maintain their outdoor dining spaces in a clean, safe, and aesthetically pleasing manner. The company’s unique approach to modular dining structures has provided a lifeline to many eateries struggling to adapt to the changing regulations and restrictions imposed by the city. Re-Ply’s focus on sustainability and efficiency has positioned them as a valuable resource for the restaurant industry in New York City.
