Thor Gets Tough With The City

photo by rosemanios (Flickr.com)

All the hype in advertising what the glitzy new Coney Island will be, may all end up washed ashore before a single component even gets blue printed.

"The Coney Island project isn't a financially feasible investment", declares Lee Silberstein, spokesman for Thor Equities, " without the inclusion of high-rise housing along Stillwell Avenue just off the fabled seaside boardwalk", he adds.

The city and the economic development corporation are standing firm on their ground to protect Coney's amusement area. "Our priorities remain to preserve and enhance Coney Island's historic amusement area, make sure it stays open to the public and create economic opportunities for local residents - and we have serious concerns that a predominance of residential towers . . . would work against those goals." said a spokesman for the city's economic development corporation.

Thor doesn't want to hear it and has raised their hammer up to the city, threatening them with having them lose their biggest private investment in Coney's future. "Everybody wants Coney Island to be revitalized, and housing has got to be part of it," Silberstein told the New York Post.

As the Post reported:

Chuck Reichental, a member of the agency that will determine how Coney Island is rezoned, said a majority of residents opposes housing in the amusement district as well as any new development exceeding the height of the 262-foot landmark Parachute Jump

This may be the start of a battle between Thor and the city. The next few steps will show if the city will stand firmly in defence of amusements or yield to Thor Equities.

City Threat To Beach Coney Island Revamp [NY Post]

Fox Movietone Film from 1930

A nice little film to bring us back to the great summers experienced by the visitors of 1930's Coney. A warm reminder, especially now, during the middle of winter. If you're patient - towards the end of the video, you can see some more really rare images of some of the rides back then. Those wild rides and attractions were surely the thing that made Coney goers enthralled and fascinated with so much fun and excitement.

From Fox Movietone news film reels (Around the World in Sound and Picture on the Magic Carpet series)

"Meet Me Down at Coney Island (1930)" by dutchmazz [YouTube]

Coney Park HOOPLA !

Coney Island Park Has Sights Set on 2011 [Curbed]
Cyclone, Meet the Leviathan at Coney Island Park [Gothamist]
Gowanus Lounge Coney Island React-O-Matic [Gowanus Lounge]
Soaring Gondolas Coming to C I Park [Brooklyn Record]
Here's "Coney Island Park [Gowanus Lounge]

other Hoopla:
Coney Island [Erica's blog]
Coney Island [Travel Pod]
Coney PR Material From Thor Hitting Mailboxes [Gowanus Lounge]
Why Coney Island Won't Be Coney Island Anymore [Gowanus Lounge]

by CIUSA poster: Made_in_Coney78
Images:
Flickr: Coney Island by gregbrophy [Kidney Notes]

Video:
The New Coney Island - CW11 Channel 11 [YouTube]
Coney Island Film (Experimental) [YouTube]

Welcome To The New CONEY ISLAND PARK

ASTROLAND TO TURN INTO CONEY ISLAND PARK
UNDER THE BOARDWALK DIPS "Leviathan" THE FLAGSHIP 100 FOOT TALL LOOP-DE-LOOP COASTER

2011 is the year slated for the opening of Coney Island Park - the 250 million dollar amusement area double the size of Astroland. The new 6-acre amusement park being drawn up by ThinkWell Design & Production will boast 21 rides, a man-made canal for boat rides, a glass-encased atrium with commercial space and a hotel.

"Whatever you come looking for at Coney Island, it's all going to be there", said Chris Durmick, creative director of Thinkwell Design.

Included with the Cyclone and the Leviathan will be a third coaster: the Aviator which would soar 120 feet (with gondolas guided individually by hand-held joysticks), according to the Daily News exclusive report which also states:

Coney Island Park, would be one component of a 13-acre, $1.5 billion plan by Thor that includes an indoor water park and residential, retail and entertainment components.

"We're trying to deliver on the promise of what Coney Island is," added Durmick.

Attention will now be on ThinkWell as we eagerly await and see what specific plans they will conjure up. With this new report Thor seems to have gained many points to their side. Let's hope Thor and company keep the promise and integrity of the importance of the amusements in Coney.

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Will it be Coney Island Park or Coney Park as shown in the smaller picture above, depicting a main entrance? (Despite the fact that Thor has stated in the past that this will not be a gated park) Well, there already is a Coney Island Park - in Ohio which boasts their more than 50 rides and attractions and one giant pool.

B'klyn fun park,by power of Thor [NY Daily News]

Kinetoscope Video "Coney's Winter Lull"

A quiet cold winter day at Coney Island.

The first in a series of Kinetic Carnival's Kinetoscope videos.

remember to turn up the volume

Winter HOOPLA !

Coney Island In Mono [Waxidermy board]
Coney Island's Future to be Determined by Late Spring? [Gowanus Lounge]
Coney Island, Winter [Dave Beckerman Photograph board]
Ya, not much to smile about in Coney Island [John Pond blogspot]
The New Coney [Queens Crap]
Membership Closed for Coney Island Polar Bears [Brooklyn Record]

Fun House: Coney Island Fanatic Turns His Basement Into The boardwalk [NY Post]

Coney's Muscle Beach For Lightweights

Sitting useless in the cold howling winds of the Coney beach rests the Parcourse Fitcenter installed somewhat recently by GameTime. Though it's nice to see something fairly new at the beach, it seems anything that really gets done here is sports related. From Keyspan park to the coming new 40,000-square-foot fitness complex operated by the YMCA, including an aquatic center, a gymnasium, a six-lane indoor pool, as well as meeting rooms and office space. The complex which will, of course, be part of the residential 'component' is slated to be completed by the summer of 2009.

However, it is fair to say that physical activity has always been a part of Coney. Charles Atlas even had his inspiration at Coney, which glamorized fitness by mythologizing an experience he'd had as a teenager on a Coney Island beach - when a bully had kicked sand in his face.