Coney Events: Childs Building Hosts Mermaid Ball 2007

This year, as part of Taconic Investment Partners revamping of Coney's west end - the Childs Restaurant building has been cleaned out and for the first time in 6o years will be open for a public event. The Childs Building will host this year's Mermaid Parade Ball. The extravaganza will feature drink specials all night, including VIP accommodations. The evening will have performances by Jill Cunniff (of Lucsious Jackson), The Shapes, Mighty Fine, The Atomic Grind Show - including the Coney Island Circus Sideshow, and a various acts from the NYC Burlesque.

Visit the Ball Site for all the information.

The Mermaid Parade Ball
Saturday, June 23rd
Childs Building
Boardwalk and 21st Street
6pm to Midnight
$10 advance
$15 at the door
$50 VIP ticket (includes appetizers, free drinks, party favors, exclusive access to the VIP lounge and membership to Coney Island USA)

Sitt Feeling Good As Coney’s Mojo Man

With zeal and boastfulness on his many musings along the boardwalk, to visits with his friends and desires for Coney Island, Thor Equities’ Joe Sitt feels like the real thing. “You know? We’re the real thing? Anything else is a knockoff of this.” Joe Sitt told Larry McShane of the Associated Press.

Last week Mr. Sitt was seen paying a visit to the Coney Island History Project Exhibit, the day after its opening ceremony. He whipped out a Coney Island history booklet and proclaimed; “That’s going to be me! The next Thompson - the next Dundy!”

This week he told the AP; he sees a new idea for Coney with each stroll. He said it fills his head with new ideas.

As the Associated Press reported:

On a weekday morning, Sitt, in a dark blue pinstriped suit, lighter blue shirt and striped tie, appears incongruous with the local environment, strolling up Stillwell Avenue toward the beach. But it soon becomes clear that he’s equally at home on the boardwalk as in the boardroom.

"Yeah, OK, it’s a little bit grimy, etcetera,” says Sitt, his voice rising with an enthusiasm belying his surroundings. “But it’s got so much potential, calling out for someone to do something. I want to bring it back."

Sitt conjures something even more breathtaking, more bombastic, more Brooklyn: A year-round resort unlike anything previously seen in his native borough.

Back on the boardwalk, Sitt discusses Coney Island’s worldwide cachet. His office has recently fielded calls from Italy, England, Singapore and Israel about the project. Sitt pauses as he spots four people meandering along the boardwalk, one snapping pictures of everything in sight.

“C’mon”, he says confidently,. “They’ve got to be from out of the country”.

They are, Stuttgart, Germany, to be precise. “In the movies, we saw it,” one woman replies when Sitt asks how they knew about Coney Island. They chat amiably before Sitt says goodbye in their native tongue. “Auf wiedersehen.”

Mr. Sitt having been able to decipher foreigners may be one thing but if it was due to their picture taking – it makes it seem that Joey Coney as he’s been called, is not completely aware that tourists and even local New Yorkers have always had a passion for Coney’s alluring aesthetics and still are constantly taking pictures of everything in sight.

A few other curiosities in the interview are; Sitt’s idea on the need to replace the rows of ‘decrepit’ metal garbage cans lining the boardwalk. Either this interview was done a few weeks ago or Mr. Sitt finds the recently decorated garbage cans another honky-tonk eyesore. Another question raised is; who is ‘everybody else’ which he claims is trying to create a Coney Island? The only place recently teaming with a diversity of wishes and ideas for a New Coney is on the Coney Island USA bulletin board. And finally,– the article states that construction equipment is already on site – and a water park, retail outlets, residential property, and a hotel possibly shaped like a roller coaster are under construction.

What may be a minor misprint or a major misinterpretation is just another example of the major media spewing out recycled information bytes, and further blurring the big picture behind the big picture.

In the end If Thor Equities and Joe Sitt’s genuine enthusiasm for amusements is as big and bombastic with the kind of year round resort never-before seen in Brooklyn - then they better make way for a huge amusement district. An amusement area to be worthy of year-round resort status with luxury accommodations needs to be the whole amusement town from the Cyclone to Childs Restaurant. The existing parcels of C7 zoned areas west of Keyspan stadium and areas around Stillwell Avenue which are being slated for residential and retail components would kill any kind amusements destination of resort caliber.

Casting The Mermaids: Revolutionize Your Inner Go-Go!

Image by Karalyn13 (Flickr.com)

Calling all GUYS and DOLLS! Strike a pose and revolutionize yourself. Save Coney Island is looking for dancers of all types and all levels. In fact even if you can't dance at all you'll still feel like a shining star. So come out and be a Save Coney Island Revolutionary Mermaid Go Go Dancer in the Mermaid Parade in Coney Island on June 23rd!!!

After joining the ensemble all you'll need is to attend two super fun rehearsals with performer and dance teacher Angie Potani.

Everyone is welcomed! For more information visit:
Save Coney Island Website

Save Coney Island site says:
The dance routine will be one aspect of our extraordinary presence in the parade! Even if you do not take part in this routine, you are welcome to march with us, perform your very own dance routine, or do whatever you'd like!! Give us a shout if you'd like to join us in dreaming up our float, constructing the sparkling spectacle or partying with us on our float during the best Mermaid Parade EVER!!

Future Of Coney HOOPLA !

Image by Kevin C. Downs Photography (Flicker.com)

The Coney Island of Tomorrow [Chris Combs: Life in Frame]
Coney wants one more ride [The Brooklyn Paper]
‘Piering’ into Coney’s future - Put rides out to sea, historian says [NY Daily News]
City Urged to Consider Coney Amusement Pier [Brooklyn Daily Eagle]


Other HOOPLA:
Astroland Soap Opera Continues: Nevermind the Rides for Sale [The Gowanus Lounge]
Inflatable water slides and Coney Island - watch out for hypodermic needles! [Metroblogging NYC]
A Coney Island park's final summer [The Boston Globe]
Coney plans get beached [NY Daily News]
Coney Island [gaspode's brain detritus]
Sidewalks of Brooklyn [The NY Sun]
Here's a thought... [Out and Back]
Brooklyn Baseball Game Sideshow [The Coney Island Reporter]
Coney Island Developer Snubbed By Coney Island Development Roundtable [NY Observer]
Dispactches from the Frontlines of the Food Wars [Clean Plate Club NYC]


Image:
goodbye my Coney [Lighthorse]
Coney Island Corn [Park Slope Street Photography by Lara Wechsler]
Playland [Frank Lynch - Flickr.com]


Video:
Coney Island clip [NCutietta - YouTube]

Featured Video:
"Coney" - Excerpt from Feature-Length Documentary

"Coney" is a feature-length documentary that examines the complexities of gentrification in one of New York City's most historic neighborhoods, Coney Island. One of the goals of the film is to help the developer (Thor Equities), the community, and the city work toward a solution that keeps the true spirit of Coney Island and its historic amusement center alive for a long time to come.
[ConeyIslandDoc - YouTube]

Childs Restaurant To House Temporary Businesses

One of the highlights of yesterday's panel discussion at the Municipal Arts Society's Special Advocacy Program: Coney Island On the Cusp of Change was by Ari Shalam of Taconic Investment Partners and their immediate and future plans for the Childs Restaurant building, which they acquired last August with a 49-year lease and option to buy.

The Childs building was a very difficult transaction, said Shalam. Early on when the team ventured out and saw vacant lots they asked themselves, why. With the then new public investment of the Stilwell Terminal and the ball stadium they wondered why private investors didn't follow. Immediately they had a vision about what would benefit this area and bring back those vacant lots to life. Although Shalam felt that Keyspan Park only served to shrink the possibility to exapand the amusement district, he knew; despite that, the area west of the stadium still had plenty of potential. But a potential for the kind of growth that wasn't going to displace anyone. At the time of Taconic’s first land purchases, the Coney Island Development Corporation was releasing their Coney Island Strategic Development Plan for the area. They had agreed with the plans for residential and mixed-retail, west of the amusement district.

Ari Shalam was passionate in describing Taconic's immediate and future plans for the Childs building. They plan on making the structure a marquee food operation with restaurant and catering. And not just a walk-in-from-the-beach restaurant but more of a finer-dining-with-reservations-required family restaurant. The establishment’s grand archways would be fully open to the boardwalk to draw people in. Smaller food eateries would be at the base with the higher floor for a restaurant. The building boasts a 30 foot height possibly allowing for an additional level. And so, the top floor and roof would be for a large scale catering facility. Ari described the magnificent feel of being on the roof within the remnants of a once fabulous beer garden. He envisioned a perfect place for a grand wedding overlooking the ocean and Coney Island.

Taconic is so anxious to get things moving NOW that they are planning to have a few one-year temporary food outlets and store fronts as soon as possible. And ready towards the end of this summer season.

They have been currently gutting and cleaning out the building’s interior and installing a security alarm system. They are also in the works preparing for a few possible functions hopefully to tie in with some of the events this June 23rd. Look out for further details.

Shalam said they are still working out the future plans which are dependent on the zoning changes in order to figure out how the money would be spent.

Shalam also went on to say, “In order to get rid of the seasonality is to have more residential”. He also noted that Taconic is excited to be working closely with the city to stay within the vision of the strategic plans to preserve the spirit of Coney Island.

Another promising point, that Lynn Kelly, president of the CIDC indicated was that all developers and everyone involved with future development will definitely have to comply with specific designs and aesthetic schemes that are in tune with the character of Coney Island and laid out in the plans. She also stressed out loud that this is NOT the last season for Coney Island.

More details on the panel discussion coming up.

Coney Island Anniversary Celebration Banners

Add to my blog

Circus Coney HOOPLA !

Image by Kevin C. Downs Photography (Flickr.com)

Thor Sending in the Clowns to Spruce Up Coney Island? [Curbed]
B'KLYN BIG TOP [NY Post]
Potential CI Circus Has Had Animal Abuse Issues [The Gowanus Lounge]
Circus is coming to Coney Island [the Brooklyn Paper]
Vacant CI Property To Get Circus, Says Developer [Brooklyn Daily Eagle]
Here's the Water Slide Thor Says It Will Put Up in CI [The Gowanus Lounge]
A Circus for Coney Island as Thor Steps In [Brooklyn Record]
New Cole Brothers Circus Fact Sheet [Animal Protection Institute]
Circus coming to Coney - Big top antics slated to hit town this summer [Courier Life]

Other HOOPLA:
Man Eats Record-Breaking 59.5 Hot Dogs [Local 10]
California Man Shatters World Record for Hot Dog Eating [Pregame]
Coney Island on the Block [gothamist]
Coney Island exhibit opens [AM New York]
In Coney Island, sidewalk blight and an evasive administration [No Land Grab]
Coney's Past Has A New Home [NY Newsday]
Coney Island Weekend [a child of atom]
Want to Buy a Used Astrotower ? Astroland Rides Up for Sale!!! [The Gowanus Lounge]
'Coney Island is Going Away' [The Gowanus Lounge]
Is Coney Island Worth Saving? [The Observer]
Bond No9 Coney Island [Perfume Stories]
Perfume review: Bond No. 9 Coney Island [Perfume Smellin' Things]
Exhibit looks at Coney history [TheRealDeal]
Coney Island High [Dead Zebra]
CI Mega-Focus #1: Coney on the Cusp of Change Panel [The Gowanus Lounge]
CI Mega-Focus #2: Good & Bad News on Trash and Developer Blight [The Gowanus Lounge]
Coney Island Mega-Focus #3: Circus Coming to Town? [The Gowanus Lounge]
Coney toasts the start of summer ‘07 - Season of fun and frolic begins as beaches are officially opened [Courier Life]
Astroland Rides Into Darkness [Forbes.com]
Unofficial ambassador [Metro]
Coney Island rides make last trip - to auction block [NY Daily News]
Breathing in Coney Island, at Just $178 a Bottle [NY Times]
Where the School Lunch Menu Includes Fire and Swords [NY Times]











Image:
Coney Island Photos [I do it all for you]
taking the sun (Coney Island) [Trancho Photography]


Video:
"Coney Island" (Cover) [YouTube - Cmina]