Preservationists try once more to save Coney Island

From the Daily News:

Preservationists are making a last-ditch effort to save four century-old Coney Island buildings slated for demolition by developer Joe Sitt.

They came up with their own vision of what the buildings could look like if restored and are appealing to Sitt to hold off the wrecking ball - even though the city rejected plans to create a historic district that would have barred the demolitions.

It's likely to be an uphill battle. "While we appreciate the enthusiasm, the reality is ... the City of New York found these buildings to have no significant historical value," said Loren Riegelhaupt, a spokesman for Sitt's company Thor Equities. "These buildings have been left to rot for decades and are now in terrible shape."

But advocates insist they're worth saving.

"It's New York's history," said Sarah Le Clerk, who designed renderings of the Grashorn and Henderson buildings for the advocacy group Save Coney Island. "These buildings have been through a lot. To tear them down would be absolutely terrible."

The images show Grashorn - a 111-year-old building believed to be Coney's oldest - fixed up and turned into a Museum of Amusements. The Henderson building - a former music hall where Harpo Marx got his start - is transformed into a theater, nightclub and rooftop restaurant.

That vision was dealt a blow when the city Landmarks Commission decided Wednesday the buildings were "too significantly altered" from their original condition to qualify as a historic district.

"Only capitalism can save those buildings [since] the Landmarks Commission will not," said Coney Island USA founder Dick Zigun.

Sitt plans large scale demolition at Coney Island

From the Brooklyn Paper:

Coney Island is gearing up for a summer of new rides and circus attractions, but the neighborhood’s main private landowner is instead tearing down historic buildings — including the place where Harpo Marx made his comic debut — and replacing them with a temporary fast-food stand.

The turn-of-the-last-century buildings facing the wrecking ball include the Grashorn Building, the Henderson Music Hall and the Surf Hotel located between Stillwell Avenue and Henderson Walk.

Current occupants include a Popeye’s fried chicken outlet and Faber’s Fascination, an arcade. Shopkeepers said that they are aware of the looming demolition work, but aren’t concerned that they will be forced out before the summer seasons.

That confidence seems to be misguided. “This summer is going to be about the demolition,” said Thor Equities spokesperson Loren Riegelhaupt, claiming that the ramshackle structures are filled with asbestos.

Riegelhaupt said that Thor Equities must clear the land now in order to have new retail shops open for the 2011 summer season.

It is unclear what shops Thor is proposing. A rendering put out by the company last week shows a burger outlet and a taco stand.

Wait, let me guess...He's destroying it in order to save it!

Coney Island history in grave danger

From Scouting NY:

Naturally, Thor Equities and its CEO, Joseph Sitt, do not like the idea of an historic district or landmarking, as it means they would no longer be allowed to gut the soul of Coney Island at whim. Last year, they succeeded in pushing a rezoning of both the bank lot and the Henderson building lot for the construction of hotels of up to 27 floors.

However, if landmarking were to go through, they’d find themselves with a harder sell on their hands. Thus, according to rumors reported on AmusingTheZillion.com, they’ve approached a demolition company, who was asked for a quote to take down the bank building immediately, with others scheduled to be razed by October.

And the Daily News reports there currently is no plan for amusements.

Taxpayers get hosed at Coney Island

From Curbed:

Sitt spent just over $90 million acquiring the Coney land in 2005, and for years has halfheartedly pursued his own redevelopment plan while evicting businesses and demanding upwards of $140 million from the city for the 10.5 acres Bloomberg wanted. Nastiness has reigned on both sides, and in the end he'll get $95.7 million in taxpayer skrilla for seven acres, a slightly ridiculous amount given the market value of land nowadays. Sitt says he'll develop hotels and stores on his remaining land. Meanwhile, the city will seek out an interim amusement operator for Coney Island before going after a developer that'll create a year-round wonderland. Check back on that around 2067 or so.

And from Mr. Angry:

There is no doubt in my mind that this has been a done deal for weeks (or even months) now. Of course, Bloomberg needed to wait until after the election before announcing this huge waste of taxpayer money so that he wouldn’t appear to be what he is at heart: A real estate developer. A snake. A thief.

95.6M$ of tax payers money handed to a shady developer who destroyed Coney Island.

Who the hell pays 95M for a scant few acres of real estate in a ghetto neighborhood??!!! how many fire houses, police tours and hospitals could have been kept open with 95M??? or the 100M he blew on buying the election? (No, that is not going to be forgotten).