Image courtesy of Rubys Host
The city which, this year, bought one acre of the Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park with an allotted $200 million from a pool of capital money, is left with about $189 million. With that they plan to buy out the Mayor's rival in Coney Island, Thor Equities. But they hope that will also include repairs for the dilapidated boardwalk, and other Coney needed infrastructure.Advocates for redeveloping the faded People's Playground concede that budgeting hundreds of millions of dollars is questionable public policy, but ultimately support the move because private landowners - before Sitt at least - have shown little inclination to invest in the area themselves for decades.
"Buying all this land my not have been the ideal move from the beginning," said Jonathan Bowles, director of the Center for an Urban Future, a planning group.
But , he added, "the problem with Coney Island for years, if not decades, was that so many landowner's were jut sitting on their property. There were empty lots galore."
Last week Coney Island Development Corporation president, Lynn Kelly was in Orlando, Florida attending the amusement industry trade show at the 2008 IAAPA Expo where she felt it was successful in establishing future relationships.It would be interesting to see what kind of responses the CIDC received and if any outcome might affect their plans.“The CIDC met with more than 160 people during the 2008 IAAPA Expo,” said CIDC President, Lynn Kelly. “We are excited by the industry’s response to the City’s plan for the rezoning of Coney Island and look forward to cultivating the industry relationships that we’ve made as we move through the public approval process.”
The IAAPA holds another networking and education meeting next year at the Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas February 24-26, 2009 for 'IAAPA Connections'. No word if the CIDC will attend.
Image courtesy of Rubys Host / KC Flickr GroupWith many gaps still on the planks of the boardwalk, here the pier is also showing signs of disrepair. At least it has been fenced off to avoid any falls.
Join the Kinetic Carnival Flickr Group to add your Coney Island images and have them featured on this blog.
The Municipal Arts Society announces initial results of the ImageConey charrette.More than 250 people gathered at the Brooklyn Academy of Music last week to see the unveiling of the initial results of the ImagineConey charrette which took place the previous week. Together with some inspired input from the public through the website ImagineConey.com, the charrette team — a group of world-class designers, engineers, producers and economists — developed new ideas for amusement rides, structures, events and interim activities at Coney Island that would restore it as one of the world’s most exciting entertainment and amusement destinations. Check out these original concepts, here
A resort on Australia's gold coast is said to be in talks to purchase the entire Astroland park and ship it to Queensland, Australia, reports NY1.
Image courtesy of Capt_Nemo (Coney Island USA message board)
As they have from the beginning, The Brooklyn Paper has, for the most part, been Pro-Thor on the Coney Island saga. This week they are peeved about the City's efforts to buy him out. They, or shall we say; the writer of the article, which is nameless, and is usual with many Brooklyn Paper stories, in the Brooklyn Paper asks: But in a time when subway lines are being slashed, a fare hike is pending and the state is planning to raise funds with dubious East River bridge tolls, we asks again: why would the city spend close to $200 million to buy Sitt's land when Sitt's basic plan for Coney Island is so similar to what the city says it wants?
City officials say that buying out Sit is the only way to give the Bloomberg Administration what it needs to save Coney Island, Namely control of the land itself.
But that is a myth: The city already has control of the land that Sitt owns because that land is currently zoned only for amusement-related uses.
In other words, no mater how much land he owns, Sitt can't do anything except build an amusement park without a zoning change.
So the city doesn't need to buy out Sitt- it just needs to give a thumbs up or a thumbs down to whatever elements of his plan would veer from existing amusement zoning.
A Sitt spokesman declined comment, but sources said the developer had a change of heart and is willing to give up his two-year game of chicken with the administration over the future of Coney Island for several reasons.
* The city last month beat Sitt to buying a one-acre property in the middle of the developer's land. Sitt desired the site to have the contiguous acreage needed for his entertainment complex plan.
* With the City Council revising term limits, Bloomberg is no longer a lame duck. Sitt had counted on taking his chances with a new mayor.
* Sitt needs city backing for major development projects he's pushing in Red Hook and Bensonhurst, so he's trying to smooth his relationship with the administration by working out a deal in Coney Island.
It is probably more like Sitt is suddenly willing to negotiate the sale of his Coney property and probably even approached the city this time. Why? Let’s look at the facts. Thor Equities was not able to come up with the money to finish payments on Ward's property and wound up losing it by default. This means they have a cash flow problem. It also means that they are probably in danger of losing the Astroland site to whoever they got the loan to pay for it. With Thor Equities unable to own Ward's including Jones Walk means they have no way of shutting down Deno’s kiddie park And since Jones Walk is now owned by the city and now becomes a public right of way that means no way in hell can Sitt combine it with other properties without it being demapped by the legislature. And once he loses Astroland to the bank then it is game over.
Another CIUSA board poster feels that Switchback is right and that we shouldn’t be so excited about all this until it’s a done deal because Astroland rides, at the moment, look like they're getting packed up to be shipped out. While yet another poster thinks this is simply a re-election bid by Bloomberg.
So, until we see the Astroland Astrotower being dismantled and an official announcement by Astroland owner/operator, Carol Albert be released and also see a “Flea by the Sea” flea market never come to Coney Island, we could be safe to assume that Joe Sitt still has his eye on joining the Coney Island History Project’s Wall of Fame and not their ‘Wall of Shame’ (which would join him with the likes of Robert Moses and Fred Trump). Then again he probably wouldn’t make that wall either because all Joey Coney would have done in this case is just a lot of noise. But nonetheless, the noise needed to wake up the Coney Island revival and get it moving into its future.
It will be certain that any new tourist destination or any revitalized Coney Island will need a super fast express route from Manhattan to Coney. Here it sure seems as though the express N Trains are gearing up for such a reality. We wish so!
Today, MAS released a new concept for Coney Island that features near-term and long-term programming elements. The concept calls for Coney Island to become the main stage for New York City, providing a platform for small and large performances and events in coordination with its role as an amusement destination.
Image courtesy of Genista (Flickr.com)The Bloomberg administration is in serious negotiations to buy 10.5 acres of real estate in Coney Island that once appeared unobtainable - a move that would save both Astroland Park and the mayor's plans to revive the slumping seaside amusement district.
The Municipal Arts Society and Center for an Urban Future "Imagine Coney" public meetings have been taking shape. Yesterday's took place at BAM: The Brooklyn Academy of Music. Some of the novel concepts so far by the public are:
Unless Thor Equities and Joe Sitt are planning to bring to Coney Island a trash skyscraper and make humor of a new rat problem, it seems we can be quite confident that the all the garbage being piled up on the Thor Equities lot on Stillwell Avenue left to rot and attract rats and other nocturnal varmints and to permeate the air with a foul stench is being left there on purpose by Thor Equities to make their point.Do you think this is a well crafted plan by Sitt to destroy Coney Island as a tourist destination?
Now he [Sitt/Thor] is letting garbage pile up on his land. What follows garbage? Rats. Can you imagine what will happen to people going to the beach when news stories of people are being chased by rats when trying to go to the beach via Stillwell Ave?
From 'Image Coney' announcement: Please join us on Monday, November 17, 6:30 p.m. when representatives of the world-class design team MAS has convened to develop new ideas for Coney Island's future will present the initial results of Imagine Coney.
On Thursday and Friday this week, the design team of architects, engineers, amusement designers and producers - including experts who have worked with Broadway Theater, Disney Corporation and other international amusement parks - will gather at the New York Aquarium for a two-day intense design workshop - known as a charrette - to develop bold new ideas for Coney Island based on input given online and at two public workshops. Members of the public are welcome to stop by at Aquarium Cafeteria at 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. to meet the team.
Coney Island needs to be revitalized and reimagine. Send 'Imagine Coney' your best ideas. The ideas will be displayed on their website and at an exhibit at the Municipal Arts Society that will open in January.
Image courtesy of masnyc (Flickr.com)Richard (Rapid T. Rabbit) Concepcion, a friend and a connoisseur on the history of carousels and amusement parks has been an active part of the Coney Island community as both Rapid T. Rabbit and as himself. He attended this meeting and describes his experience on the Coney Island USA message board.
I attended the workshop session last night at the Gospel Assembly Church on Neptune Avenue. Charles Denson was there to photograph the activity but did not directly participate. I also saw Diane Carlin there and Senator Kruger.
I didn't know what to expect when I got there at 6:30pm just as they were getting started (the church was a long walk from the subway, though afterwards I found the bus on Mermaid to take me back) but it was an interesting experience. We all were seated at any of about a half-dozen tables and held separate brainstorming sessions guided by a facilitator from the MAS following a preset outline. Each table first was charged with coming up ten points of what was attractive about Coney Island, and then ten points of what Coney Island needs to maintain and build on those. After a 30 minute time limit, each table made a quick presentation summarizing their consensus while all these ideas were transcribed. The second part of the workshop then had each table assigned to address a particular need or problem for Coney Island, quantifying three points and then solutions for the same. In this part of the session, people were allowed to get up and select which table to sit at that met their particular expertise. Like the first part, that was again followed up with a quick summary presentation by each table, and these were so transcribed onto a laptop computer.
The input of ideas distilled from all in attendance will be combined with the output from the workshops being held at the Brooklyn Public Libary, and will go to the charette, and the final conclusions will be presented next week during the meeting at BAM.
The Center for an Urban Future issued their first report yesterday entitled "Coney Island Visions". The report asks various questions to individuals from various areas from architects, historians, novelists, developers and amusement industry experts from New York and around the world offer their “vision” for Coney Island’s future.
Discover a new carrer this Wednesday, November 19th from 2 to 6 pm at the Coney Island Training Program Fair. The training fair is presented by The Coney Island Development Corporation....offers you one-on-one access to career advisors. Tap into professional training programs and pursur certification opportuniities in a variety of fields.
Image courtesy of Hazel Hankin (Coney Island Maybe exhibit)These pictures, most of them taken in the past year or so, serve as a reminder that Coney Island continues to exert a powerful hold on the public imagination. It’s easy to imagine that even a century from now, photographers or their 22nd-century equivalents will be peering through their viewfinders, gazing at the sights and saying, “Smile!” — in the hope of capturing the soul of a place that seems never to go out of style.
As usually pointed out by Coney's eye and roving photographer Capt_Nemo, more (illegal dumping?) garbage and smelly junk has been left to rot by Thor Equities on their empty dirt lot. Is this what the empty Astroland lot will look like in the spring next year?
Join Us Tonight to Imagine Coney at the Municipal Arts Society!
MAS has assembled a world-class team of architects, engineers, amusement designers and creative producers to participate in an intense design workshop later this month to develop new ideas for activities, designs, events and interim uses for Coney Island — and they need your input. At two public workshops this week, you are invited to Imagine Coney. The first is tonight, Monday, November 10, at the Coney Island Gospel Assembly, 2828 Neptune Avenue, Brooklyn, co-hosted by the Astella Development Corporation. The second public meeting is this Wednesday, November 12, at the Brooklyn Public Library Central Branch, 10 Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn. More information.
Catch Charles Denson of the Coney Island History Project on WBAI Radio speak about the people of Coney Island at Cat Radio Cafe, a live salon which delves into the politics of art and the creative bounty of New York is hosted by Janet Coleman and David Dozer. Monday, November 10th 2 to 3 pm.
The Archivists Roundtable of Metropolitan New York honors the Coney Island History Project with the 2008 ARTS Award for Innovative Use of Archives
The Archivists Round Table is a diverse group of more than 330 archivists, librarians, and records managers in the New York area. "The Awards Committee commends Coney Island History Project's novel and innovative methods in documenting a beloved landmark and cultural institution. Through the Project's efforts, the Coney Island community has been enriched and empowered, with its history and artifacts preserved for all to cherish."
On November 7th Lola Staar and Undersea Explosion will transform the basement of Fontana's into an erotic fun house of rock and roll decadence. Four excellent New York bands, Undersea Explosion, Kilsy, Pistola and Dead Sextons will combine forces of haunting darkness and dazzling light in a live performance unlike anything you've ever seen. Lola Staar will cultivate an enchanted House of Mirrors through her set design and projections. She will also be curating a spectacular array of Burlesque and Sideshow performers from the sultry stages of Coney Island who will defy reality with their amazing and death defying acts. House of Mirror's sparkling lights and mind- bending projections will disorient whatever is remaining of your tether to the third dimension.
Alas... the dreamy seaside days of Summer are over! Coney Island is closed for the winter months!! However, you don't have to wait all winter for your Lola Staar fix!! Visit our fabulous Holiday Gift Boutique in the Union Square Holiday Market!!
'Coney Island Maybe' is an exhibit that opens Saturday, November 8th and runs through December 14, 2008. Open 6 to 9 pm. Admission is Free! Expect amusement, refreshments, and mermaids. It's all at the Puffin Room.
It's Time to Imagine Coney: A Call for Ideas!On Monday, October 27, MAS launched ImagineConey, a new initiative to develop new ideas for Coney Island's future. Our goal is to see Coney Island restored to its place as one of the world’s great entertainment and amusement destinations - the "world's playground.” On that day, we brought together a world-class team of designers, engineers, producers and economists at Brooklyn Borough Hall to listen to presentations from key stakeholders (click here to see photographs from the day and here to watch a NY1 broadcast).
The team will return for a two-day "charrette" - an intense design workshop - on November 13 and November 14 and present their initial ideas to the public on November 17.
Here’s how to submit your ideas. 1) Visit our new website ImagineConey.com. You can submit ideas as text (less than 150 words) on the website or as graphics which can be emailed to us at imagineconey@mas.org. 2) Attend a workshop next Monday, November 10 (in Coney Island) or next Wednesday, November 12 (at Brooklyn Public Library). For more information about the workshops, click here.
All of the ideas will be displayed online at ImagineConey.com and also at an exhibit that will open in January 2009 here at MAS. The deadline for submission is December 15, and ideas submitted before November 12 will also be considered by the team for potential inclusion in their presentation on November 17.
So start "Imagining Coney" - and please forward this e-mail to all your friends and colleagues who you think might be interested!
Sincerely,
Kent Barwick, President
Image courtesy of Lornagrl / KC Flickr Group
