November | 2010 | Amusing the Zillion

Archive for November, 2010

Coney Island to Brighton Beach: Veterans Day Charity Open Water Swim

Posted in Events, tagged Brighton Beach, CIBBOWS, Coney Island, Open Water Swimming, swim race, Veterans Day on November 5, 2010| 1 Comment »

Ruby’s Bar and Grill has long been a gathering place for Coney Island’s swimmers. Saturday, which could be Ruby’s last day, is no exception. “We’ll be there after our race,” tweeted Jesse Lansner of the Coney Island Brighton Beach Open Water Swimmers (CIBBOWS). Tomorrow’s 11 am race is the group’s first-ever Veterans Day 5K, 1 Mile and 2 Mile Charity Swim.

Coney Island Brighton Beach Open Water Swimmers (CIBBOWS). October 24, 2010. Photo © Princess Polar Bear Capri/Capri Djatiasmoro via flickr

The event is a fundraiser for two organizations that serve veterans: Service Women’s Action Network and the Wounded Warrior Project. Registration to swim closed a few days ago, but info about pledging your support for Lanser and the other swimmers is available on CIBBOWS races page. More than 50 people have registered for the race. You may donate online or pay by check on race day before the swim.

Coney Island Brighton Beach Open Water Swimmers (CIBBOWS). October 16, 2010. Photo © Princess Polar Bear Capri/Capri Djatiasmoro via flickr

ATZ emailed Lansner to ask where the race starts and the best place for spectators to see the swimmers…

The swim starts at the Aquarium at 11:00 am. All swimmers will head towards the pier, aiming for the cross section near the end of the pier, so they will be approximately 150-200 yards offshore. The 1-mile swimmers will return to the Aquarium and exit the water. The 2-mile swimmers will continue to approximately Brighton 2nd Street, then turn around and return to the Aquarium. The 5K swimmers will also turn around at Brighton 2nd Street, then swim back to the pier again, and then return to the Aquarium and exit the water.

The best viewing options are between the Aquarium and the pier (or even on the pier), since that is the area that the swimmers will spend the most time in. Also, if you are by the Aquarium, you can see the swimmers enter and exit the water, and watch them shiver and dance around to keep warm.

CIBBOWS is a non-profit community resource for open water swimmers of all levels. The group sponsors Grimaldo’s Mile Race in June, the Aquarium 5K and 1 Mile in August, and group swims every weekend from April to November. For more information visit CIBBOWS website and the blog Salty Tales.

Coney Island Brighton Beach Open Water Swimmers (CIBBOWS). October 16, 2010. Photo © Princess Polar Bear Capri/Capri Djatiasmoro via flickr

Read Full Post »

Exclusive: Surrender the Premises Letter Sent to Coney Island Boardwalk Veterans

Posted in Real Estate, Redevelopment, tagged Boardwalk, Central Amusement International, Coney Island, Luna Park, mom & pop businesses, NYCEDC, vacate the premises letter on November 4, 2010| 10 Comments »

On Wednesday afternoon, several owners of mom-and-pop businesses on Coney Island’s Boardwalk met to discuss taking legal action against eviction by Central Amusement International/Luna Park. ATZ obtained a copy of the two-page vacate the premises notice sent to the business owners. We’re told all nine of the booted businesses received the same form letter, down to the generic salutation “Dear Sir or Madam…”

When the business owners received the Fedex envelopes containing the long-awaited letter on Monday morning, they expected to read CAI’s specific response to the business plans which they had prepared and submitted. But the letter doesn’t contain so much as a “We regret to inform you that your business plan was not selected.”

According to the letter’s second graf, the City’s Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) licensed the Boardwalk properties to CAI. The deal was done in February. “As part of our arrangement with the EDC, we licensed those Boardwalk properties (including your site) to EDC, which made it possible for EDC to grant you the License Agreement for the 2010 summer season.”

New kid on the block Luna Park plans to replace the gritty authenticity of the Boardwalk’s oldest bar and sausage and clam joints with a huge sports bar, an upscale year-round restaurant, another Nathan’s satellite and a beer garden. The new businesses would flank the Luna-esque entrance to CAI’s Scream Zone, which will be where Shoot the Freak is now.

The cruellest part of the letter calls for the business owners, some of whom have occupied the same spot for decades, to formally acknowledge the surrender of the licensed premises and vacate within 15 days or face penalties. Coney Island history, including the Boardwalk’s vernacular signage, will be swept away to make way for the new Luna Park-inspired fronts shown in CAI’s renderings. “They didn’t have the vision that we have for the Boardwalk,” Valerio Ferrari, president of CAI/ZAmperla USA told ATZ on Monday. “It’s a business decision.” The letter says….

We want you to understand that while our company is affording you fifteen additional days in which to leave the licensed premises, the timing is critical in order for the Boardwalk properties to be ready for operations next season. For this reason, please be aware that Central Amusement International will enforce the penalties provisions in your License Agreement as well as seek all available legal and equitable remedies in the event that you should fail to leave by November 15, 2010.

ATZ learned from one of the business owners that the penalty is $2,500 per day for each day after November 15th.

Friends of Ruby’s Bar Launch Petition, Plan Nov 6 Rally

Posted in Events, Redevelopment, tagged Coney Island, Coney Island Development Corporation, Monday Morning Massacre, petition, Ruby's Bar, Zamperla on November 3, 2010| 3 Comments »

Ruby's Bar & Grill, Coney Island. May 28, 2010. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Despite the Monday Morning Massacre of the Boardwalk businesses, Halloween was not Ruby’s last day after all. The bar’s devotees have put out a call via Facebook and email to “all Ruby’s family and friends”: Ruby’s will open, possibly for the last time, on Saturday, November 6th. “We are not going quietly, ” Rubys host said in an email. “Come out and show your support.” The rally/party begins around 12:30 pm and goes on till 6 pm or later.

On Facebook, supporters were urged to bombard Zamperla, the Mayor and local pols, and the Coney Island Development Corporation (CIDC) with e-mails and phone calls. “Ruby’s has been told they have 15 days to get out. If you want to see them stay they need your help please CALL or send letters.” A petition “Renew Ruby’s Lease” is on the Petition Site as well as Facebook. By 1 am on Wednesday morning, the petition had nearly 200 signatures. The goal is 10,000, but time is short. The petition begins…

Dear Mayor Bloomberg and Mr. Ferrari,

It has been brought to my attention that a historic piece of Coney Island is being kicked out. How does a business that has been there since 1934 get kicked out?

The Last Night at Ruby's Bar. October 31, 2010. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i

While one of our Facebook friends said she “unliked” the CIDC’s very popular “Coney Island” page in protest, others went there to post links to the petition or voice their displeasure. “I’m posting to protest the eviction of Ruby’s from Coney Island, a 76-year-old family business that is being cruelly ousted,” one poster wrote. “If this plan goes forward, I hereby pledge not to patronize any of the newly-developed businesses and will tell my family, friends, and colleagues to do the same.” UPDATE: This afternoon, the CIDC asserted control over their “Coney Island” page by removing some, but not all, of the links posted by irate fans and removing the link button. “I guess you want to silence us hmm..,” a poster wrote.

Nine small businesses on the Boardwalk are getting the boot from City-owned land in Coney Island with nary a peep nor a press release from the CIDC/NYCEDC. It seems to us that all of a sudden the City is a very silent partner in its much touted and (until now) highly regarded public-private partnership with the amusement operator. Instead of holding the usual joint press conference, the City is distancing itself from the bad news and letting Zamperla play the role of the bad guy.

According to the NYCEDC’s Coney Island Amusement Operator RFP, which was won by Zamperla in February: “Responses to this RFP should articulate whether they include or exclude these [Boardwalk] structures or footprints, beginning at the earliest in Year 2 of operations.” But it also says “The Selected Respondent may propose to include subtenants for portions of their proposed operations, but such subtenants, and such subtenant agreements, shall be subject to NYCEDC approval.”

In other words, the City, which owns the property, has final say which businesses come or go.