SelectSpace is well known for helping municipalities create attractive, consistent sidewalk café programs, including those in Mountain View, CA, and Chandler, AZ. However, helping your local restaurants with their outdoor dining initiatives is only one way cities can use this flexible system. SelectSpace modular partitions can be moved and rearranged as your community's needs change. That versatility gives municipal teams a practical way to support major events, pedestrian pr

SelectSpace is headed to Anaheim this fall for the League of California Cities Annual Conference and Expo 2026, and we are looking forward to connecting with municipal leaders from across the state. From September 23–25, 2026, city officials, public works teams, and local government decision-makers will gather at the Anaheim Convention Center to share ideas, explore solutions, and discuss the future of California communities. It is one of the year’s key events for municipal l

When cities plan summer events, pedestrian-only weekends, or outdoor dining activations, the conversation often starts with one basic question: What kind of barrier should we use? In many cases, municipalities use the terms "street closure barriers" and "traffic barricades" interchangeably. But they are not always the same thing, and they are not designed for the same purpose. For public works teams, downtown managers, and event planners, understanding that distinction matter

Sidewalk café design can do a lot more than define your outdoor dining area. It can help your restaurant attract attention, create a stronger first impression, and turn passing foot traffic into seated guests. Before summer arrives and patios fill up, now is the time to take a closer look at how your outdoor space performs. A well-designed sidewalk café should feel inviting, organized, and aligned with your brand. It should also support the practical side of service, from gue

Mother's Day brunch is spring's busiest restaurant event. Families gather for large parties, reservations fill fast, and guests are often willing to wait longer for a memorable experience. For restaurants and hotels , this creates a major opportunity—especially for those with outdoor seating. A well-designed patio does more than improve curb appeal. It increases capacity, streamlines service, and creates a more welcoming atmosphere during one of the biggest brunch weekends

Local restaurants do more than serve food. They generate foot traffic, create jobs, and shape the identity of a downtown district. When patios are full, the entire block feels alive. As outdoor dining season approaches, municipalities face a choice. They can regulate sidewalk cafés — or they can lead. Cities that take an active role in building a structured, well-designed outdoor dining program create stronger Main Streets, more cohesive streetscapes, and fewer operational he

Your outdoor dining budget should no longer be seen as a "nice to have" - but instead as a core revenue driver. For many restaurants, patio seating is among the highest-margin square footage they operate. As operators plan for the year ahead, one question becomes central: What should we include in our outdoor dining budget for 2026? Smart planning means separating short-term expenses from long-term investments. Not every patio purchase delivers equal value. The key is knowing

For public works teams, seasonal change isn't just about the weather — it's about logistics. As winter winds down and spring approaches, municipalities face the same annual challenge: how to efficiently transition downtown streets, sidewalks, and public spaces from winter conditions to active-use season. Effective streetscape management during this transition period can significantly reduce labor hours, minimize equipment damage, and help cities deploy public space programs

For restaurant owners, spring patio season doesn't begin when the first warm weekend arrives. It begins months earlier, during the quieter winter stretch when there's time to plan thoughtfully. The most successful outdoor dining programs are built well before opening day, and restaurant patio planning in January often separates a smooth, profitable season from a rushed, reactive one. January offers a rare advantage: breathing room. It's time to look ahead, refine your approac

Flexibility Became a City's Greatest Asset One of the clearest takeaways of 2025 is that cities need adaptable solutions for public spaces. Outdoor dining programs expanded, contracted, shifted locations, and adjusted layouts in response to weather, events, or business needs. Municipalities that invested in modular systems, particularly those that could be relocated among sidewalks , parklets, pedestrian-only streets, and seasonal activations, experienced the strongest outcom