Lola Staar And Micro Celeb Friends On Coney Testimony

Here are the scoping testimonies of Lola Staar and friends (Some New York Celebs with some New York micro celebs) giving their 'Save Coney Island' testimonies while have having a splash at the "Dreamland" movie [movie?] premier somewhere outside of Coney Island, of course. Despite some Coney Island celeb fans (like Rosie Perez, and Drena Dinero) and a few micro celebs making their quick in-party-mode 'testimonies', Diana (Lola) introduced the video and reminded us of our chance to make our testimony in writing before June 11th.

Meanwhile, the usually peeved and bitter poster, FixConey on the Coney Island message board has singled out Lola (Diana) Staar and the 'Save Coney Island' group as a sham for not showing up at the scoping meeting last Tuesday and instead was looking pretty rubbing shoulders with Manhattan's high society at the premier of her movie "Dreamland" (Where can we see the movie trailer?). In her defence one poster pointed out that Diana is not the exclusive representative of the "Save Coney" group. It also includes the Coney Island USA organization and some at the Coney Island History Project.

Follow the discussion on the Coney Island USA message board.


Scoping Testimonies from "Dreamland" Movie Premier

Description:
Public Scoping Hearing Testimonies broadcast from premier of Dreamland, a new documentary about Lola Staar's Dreamland Rollerrink. Special appearances by Rosie Perez, Angie Pontani, Dreena De Niro, Murray Hill and Lola Staar.

Posted by SaveConeyIsl [YouTube]

Mermaid Video By RocketBoom

Click image to go to video

Daily with Joanne Colan brings us this Coney Island video of the 2008 Coney Island Mermaid Parade by Rocketboom.

City Zones In To Color Their 9 Acres For You

With rendering after rending Coney Island 'visionaries' have been presenting to the public new sketches and drawings. Each have come more muddled then the one before. All except for the city's (Bloomberg's) plans presented last November, which have showed, thus far, the most reasonable and somewhat fair plan able to do justice to a realistic functionality of a huge redevelopment, while preserving the largest possible amusement area. But now that the city has made some swift behind-the-curtain changes to the plan and shrinking the amusements to a mere nine acres, they have given us a muddled water color view of street level amusements that look generically carnivalesque yet without the name brand establishments they have stated the new Coney (retail) entertainment will consist of.

Here a a couple of watercolor renderings presented at the last public Scoping meeting this past Tuesday, June 24th.

The New York Observer reports:

All goes without saying that renderings are a crucial tool in the battle to win public support for development projects in the city. The last batch made by the city, now somewhat obsolete given that the plan has since been modified, emphasized rides and roller coasters, whereas this time the city seems to be trying to stress the street-level vitality that could come as a result of the plan.

At Coney, City Switches To Watercolors To Win Over the Masses [NY Observer]
City Presents New & Different Coney Island Renderings [Gowanus Lounge]
Coney Island V3.1 Renderings, Watercolor Edition [Curbed]

Charles Denson Speech At Coney Scoping Meeting

Here is Charles Denson speaking at the 2nd Public Scoping Meeting. The Coney Island Development Corporation (well not all its member directors) and the City has taken their time to develop this plan and has also taken the time to present their case at the public meeting. A time limit for the public to speak sounds fair for the flow of the evening. However there should not have been a time limit for individuals like Dick Zigun and Charles Denson. It is unfortunate and sad to see how the moderator was adamant in not letting Mr. Denson finish his speech. He even stood up and demand Mr. Denson step away from the microphone. This is unfair and does not seem to reflect the purpose of a public scoping meeting.


Charles Denson Speech At Coney Scoping Meeting

Description:
2nd Scoping Meeting held by the CIDC and the City to hear public opinion the now revised plan that many feel does not represent the Coney Island character and spirit because it turns Coney Island into a corporate retail every-where-else America.

Posted by *ConeyHOP [YouTube]
*Send to Kinetic Carnival by Bill Nicholson

The New Coney Island USA Building Sets The Stage

Photos courtesy of the Coney Island News And Events Blog

The glorious new stage at the Coney Island Museum comes with a new proscenium and plush stage curtains. This past week the new and still-under-construction Coney Island USA building interior had a bit of activity with the public. First it had a dry run during the Mermaid Parade...

Coney Island News And Events blog writes:

Our first customers!! Saturday was amazing. The parade was the best I've ever seen it and having people in the new bar brought tears to my eyes. It will only get better from here.

...Then right after the Mermaid Parade the scenery was set for Savitri D's hunger strike station where she spent most of her time chatting live over the Internet with many who kept here company to chat about anything including the issues regarding Coney Island and the upcoming Scoping Meeting.


Keep up with the Coney Island building progress at the Coney Isand USA construction blog.

Derelict Building Ready To Be Demolished Along Stillwell Ave

Found to be ready for demolition by Coney Island USA message poster Coney_Islander, this old decaying building located on 2864 Stillwell Avenue between Mermaid and Neptune Avenues has been practically crumbling on its own. It has been abandoned for many years.

Dick Zigun posts:

It is a wooden residential building on Stillwell that has been derelict and unused for years. Sorta nice but pretty far gone. They will also demolish another building in similar bad condition directly behind it. Wouldn't surprise me if the demolitions was the first step in putting up a new residential bldg on the site. Better there then south of Surf Avenue.

Photos courtesy Screwtape (CIUSA message board poster)

Follow the discussion on the Coney Island USA message board where Mr. Zigun asks Charlie Denson what this building demolished were. Where they small hotels or rooming houses and did they once have names?

Flap Your Flippers At The Aquarium

Get a $3 dollar discount and submerse yourself in an underwater world at the New York Aquarium.

From the NY Aquarium website:

Experience an underwater world filled with fascinating marine life and make sure to check showtimes for the Sea Lion Celebration! Experience this one of a kind show featuring our California Sea Lions. Come wet your curiosity with an interactive show full of acrobatics, education and fishy sea lion feedings.

Visit their website for discount information.