The web magazine Last Exit posted an interview yesterday with Kent Barwick from the Municipal Arts Society. The interview touches on many aspects of New York development, including Jane Jacobs, Robert Moses, Soho, The Atlantic Yards project and, of course, the redevelopment of Coney Island. Barwick seems optimistic about the Bloomberg administration's plan for Coney Island… or at least about the intentions behind the plan:I think in the case of Coney Island, they're really –as I can see, from reading the papers— made an effort to hang onto the essence of what's important about Coney Island, and to carry that spirit forward. And more power to them. "A" for effort, and maybe more.
5 questions for Kent Bartick [Last Exit Magazine]
7 comments:
Omar -
1. How do they get the land from Thor, and how much does it cost the city to acquire?
2. How do they turn the land into parkland if it has to go through the state senate and state senators have called it back door eminent domain?
3. Who pays to build the amusements?
4. Are they serious about a 20 year timeline? Bloomberg's administration lasts only 2 more years.
5. Is the plan realistic? Will all this change during the next administration?
Muscle:
1. This will be the first round in the match as they square off with each other. And the price will reflect upon who's bruised up more.
2. This will be the second round if Bloomberg is still on his feet.
3. The amusement company's captial for the project.
4. If they're serious about the 20 year time span then their plan may not go past round one!
5. This one is only answered by what other events take place in the weeks or months ahead. It would be intereting to see what Charles Denson says at his discussion coming up Dec. 12th.
Also, I am starting to beleive that the parkland plan is best in order to keep the area designated as an amusement disttrict. The family-operated amusement businesses are not to be found. Otherwise, why has Coney not thrived in the last 30 years?
The problem with the parkland plan could be scaled back to allow longtime businesses to remain and not include them into the parkland, but simply rezoning.
I hope to see a fusion between the city's parkland plan and smart rezoning while still keeping any form of residential and even hotel accomodations OUTSIDE of the amusement district under any circumstances.
Interesting Omar. I think the price is a few hundred million for Thor's land and it doesn't get past question one. I also believe the ship has already sunk on the parkland issue. It will never get past through state approval. Your video of Recchia, Kruger and Savino was amazing. Great job, and kudos for presenting Stan Fox's point of view as well.
Muscle:
I wouldn't place the Parkland plan under water yet. The state could change their minds by the time it gets there, if it does.
But like you said, the price alone may do it in.
And I'm glad you liked the vid! Stand Fox is always a charmer and a very nice person!
3. The amusement company's captial for the project.
Omar - What amusement company will build this and how come not one single world-class company has come in and tried this in our lifetimes? Have things changed that much or will the city subsidize?
Disney and other companies were never interested because they didn't see anything they could create because of the minimal space and because of the immeidate area. The time was different. Now, there is a boom in developemnt in Brooklyn. Plus Coney Island is once again stirring with activity. Even though it's all in the speculation and planning phases. This could spark some interest now and allow a big amusment company to be inspired and perhaps dream up something grand that would fit right for the area. Coney Island should be preserved as an amusement and hisotric piece of land for the community, the city, and the country.
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