Amusing the Zillion

On Friday afternoon I swung by Thor Equities’ Festival by the Sea site on Stillwell (Sittland West) to see what was going on. Not much.

Tourists stand in sunshine and snap photos of Thor's Festival by the Sea "Closed Due to Threat of Bad Weather" Sign

photo by Tricia Vita via me-myself-i, flickr

The Brooklyn Paper reported on Thursday that Joe Sitt’s flea market set to open on May 15 had suffered a setback. Instead of an indoor market, vendors would be “exposed to the elements due to a tent mishap.” But when I walked by there looking for a photo op, nothing was going on. There were no vendors. Instead I took pix of tourists taking pix of Thor’s vacant festival lot.

I shouldn’t have been surprised. The Coney Island Rumor Mill had been sayin’ since last week that Thor Equities would postpone the much publicized grand opening of their Dreamland park, or is it their Festival, oh well whatever it is…for a week or two because the rides aren’t arriving in Dreamland and the Festival tents are the wrong tents and they have to be taken down!

Anon VIP Invite, including styrofoam straw hat, sits forlornly on chair, unused....Thor Equities Festival by the Sea Opening on May 15 and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on May 17... POSTPONED!

photo by Tricia Vita via me-myself-i, flickr

When I went to the DOB website and clicked on the C of O Summary tab for Sitt’s permit for his “temporary fair,” it said in big red letters THIS JOB HAS NO C OF O APPLICATION ON FILE. A new building cannot be legally occupied until a Certificate of Occupancy has been issued.

On Thursday workers removed the brightly striped roof and sidewalls leaving the structures open to the air. On Friday, Sitt employees wearing “Festival by the Sea” hats & T shirts were on site answering questions from visitors and potential vendors.

When I asked the employees what happened and when the festival would open I was told the following: The Festival by the Sea opening is postponed till next weekend (May 22) when it will be an open air flea market. Weather permitting, of course. The tenting material would not be replaced till the following weekend, May 29th, because the roof structure needed to be reinforced. A festival employee mentioned the collapse of the Dallas Cowboys practice tent in heavy winds earlier this month as a reason for the reinforcement.

According to the Rumor Mill, the DOB is requiring that the festival tents be able to withstand hurricane force winds. It’s a good thing too, if you look at the vid of the collapsed Dallas tent. Or if you look at some of the photos taken over the months of Thor’s collapsed construction fences.

Collapsed construction fences afford a view of Thor Equities vacant Stillwell property in Coney Island, New Years Day, 2009. This is the site where the festival tents are set up.

photo by Tricia Vita via me-myself-i, flickr

It’s important to note that Thor Equities’ Festival by the Sea is not just a summer flea market. The festival website says they plan to be open through Christmas. The permit is valid till January, so the tents will be subject to windy, stormy, snowy weather. I don’t know if the city’s DOB revised the regulations for tents after the Dallas Cowboys tent accident or if the rules were already in place, but the Dallas tent collapse is the subject of a federal investigation.

The Coney Island Rumor Mill has also been speculating about the validity of the permit for a flea market disguised as a “temporary fair” in the C-7 amusement zone. It is distressing to see gi-normous enclosed structures for retail booths set up where amusements rightfully belong. The batting range, go karts, bumper boats, mini-golf and other popular amusement attractions thrived here before Joe Sitt bought the property and evicted them to deliberately create his empty lots.

My guess is the “Festival by the Sea marketplace” is an incubator project for Thor Equities proposed 10,000 square foot retail spaces in a rezoned Coney Island. Fortunately the City as well as Borough President Marty Markowitz said NO to big box style retail in Coney, yes to Mom & Pops in Coney. Now it’s up to City Planning and the City Council, which will hold a public hearing on the Coney Island rezoning this summer.

Thor Equities tent structure under construction. Shoot the Freak is visible at the far end along with the sign for the batting range which occupied the site along with other amusements until evicted by property owner Joe Sitt.

photo via me-myself-i, flickr

How did Sitt obtain the permit to make a flea market in the C-7? I’m guessing it’s some kind of loophole based on the fact that he says there will be some entertainment. Sitt’s agents advertised for variety acts and bands on craigslist. Thor Equities calls it a festival and brings in strolling entertainers as an amusement because their original application for a flea market was disapproved. If you look at the subway sign for the “festival” you’ll even see the phrase “uniquely entertaining and amusing” and a cartoon of a fire eater and a snake charmer. Oh, and there’s also a vendor selling lamps!

Some of Friday’s tourists weren’t sure what there was to do in Coney Island since they’d come here for the postponed Festival by The Sea. I told them there’s plenty to do! I sent them over to ride the Eldorado bumper cars, the Cyclone and McCullough’s kiddie rides.

McCullough's Kiddie Park, Bowery and 12th Street

photo by Tricia Vita via me-myself-i, flickr

The kiddie park was especially busy on this weekday afternoon. I sent the tourists over to see Target the Cat, who was working the Basketball game on the Bowery, and Jimmy, who was running his Balloon Dart. Despite Thor Equities prediction of threat of bad weather, it was a sunny, delightful Friday in Coney Island’s C-7 amusement zone. Let’s keep it that way! As my friend Spidora says, “Carnival Stalls, Not Mega-Malls!”

Target, the Coney Island Arcade Cat, is the Official Mascot of the flickr group Coney Island is Alive and Kicking and Welcomes Visitors in 2009!

photo by Tricia Vita via me-myself-i, flickr

Related posts on ATZ...

January 8, 2010: Coney Island 2010: Good Riddance to Thor Equities Flopped Flea Market, Hello Rides?

November 23, 2009: The Contenders from A to Z: Coney Island Amusement Operator RFP

June 7, 2009: Sundown at Thor’s Unamusing Festival by the Sea Flea

June 4, 2009: Coney Island Ride Count: Veteran Ride Ops 40, Joe Sitt 10!

May 27, 2009: Memorial Day Weekend Mania: Thor Equities Coney Flea In-Fest-ation Is a Flop