Coney Island Redevelopment | Amusing the Zillion

Archive for the ‘Coney Island Redevelopment’ Category

Coney Flea Market Coming to Childs Building on Boardwalk

Posted in Coney Island Redevelopment, News, tagged Childs Building, Childs Warehouse, Coney Island, flea market, pop up market on June 7, 2013| 4 Comments »

The Landmark Childs Building on the Coney Island Boardwalk. February 22, 2013. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

The landmark Childs Building on the Coney Island Boardwalk, which has been in use since January as the Childs Warehouse, a multi-agency program for organizations that need space for Sandy recovery projects, will host a pop-up market this summer. Called the Coney Flea, the seasonal market will operate from mid-June through October, with proceeds to fund post-Sandy recovery programs, according to the organizer’s website.

Rotating spaces with dimensions starting at 8 x 10 feet are being offered to local and regional vendors at weekly, monthly and seasonal rates. The market is expected to be open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Vendors can apply online at coneyflea.com:

Vendor spaces range from $120/day to $200/day. Please mention if you are a Coney Island establishment and include details in the form below, and we can offer you a discount. One of the main purposes to opening the market this season is to help bring life back to Coney Island, and create space for businesses, artists and vendors who have not been able to reopen after Hurricane Sandy. We’re opening too, and just cleaned out our 63,000 square foot site. We know it takes a community to recover, and we’re grateful to be part of the recovery process.

Detail of Landmark Childs Building on the Coney Island Boardwalk. February 22, 2013. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

“It’s a very special place,” said Dan Compitello of the 1923 Spanish Colonial Revival style building, which was designated a City landmark in 2003. He is overseeing the Coney Flea with a team that he says has a combined total of over 42 years of flea market management experience. Food vendors and arts and crafts vendors from the tri-state area have already reserved spaces, Compitello added. Our impression from talking with him is that Coney Flea will be an artsy, curated marketplace that will activate a landmark and give visitors a reason to stroll westward along the Boardwalk past the new Steeplechase Plaza.

That’s a plus, because despite the fact that Coney Flea is for a good cause we’re not sold on the idea that what Coney Island needs is another flea market. In 2009 and 2011, Thor Equities staged a “Festival by the Sea” of vendors selling tube socks, cellphone accessories, shoes, automotive supplies and cleaning products on lots where amusement rides had previously thrived. Just looking at photos of these previous Coney flea markets induces post-traumatic stress order. There was a smaller, more attractive group of vendors on Stillwell Avenue last year, a dress rehearsal for Joe Sitt’s “Retail Ride of a Lifetime.”

iStar Financial and Stone Harbour Management donate the Child’s Building in-kind to the Childs Warehouse with free rent, utilities and building maintenance. Additional sponsors of the Childs Warehouse are the Mayors Office of Community Affairs, the Brooklyn Long Term Recovery Group, and the Staten Island Long Term Recovery Group. Partners are Transform-US, Occupy Sandy, New York Disaster Interfaith Services, World Cares Center, Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty and Resurrection Brooklyn Relief.

Originally built as a Childs Restaurant, one of the country’s first national chains with more than 100 locations in 33 cities, the terracotta palace is set to be restored and developed into an amphitheater and restaurant by 2015. In past years, the building was used as a candy factory beginning in the 1950s and Lola Star’s Dreamland Roller Rink in 2008 and 2009. Today, tourists routinely ask what are “those ruins” on the Boardwalk?

UPDATE September 26, 2013:

Summer is officially over and the flea market never opened. As a commenter said from the get-go: “Word on the street, this project is dead in the water.” Whether the flea market was doomed by permitting issues or complaints to the DOB about the stability of the building is unknown. After Sandy, parts of the facade cracked and began falling off. A sidewalk shed was installed this summer. Childs Warehouse did not reply to queries and their website is currently down.

The City’s plan to convert the former restaurant into an amphitheater for live concerts is now working its way through City Planning and the City Council approval, though it was voted down by the community board. “Clock Ticking on Plan for the Landmark Childs Building,” ATZ, September 25, 2013.

The New Childs Restaurant on the Riegelmann Boardwalk, August 1924. Eugene L. Armbruster Collection, New York Public Library

Thor’s Coney Island: Wampum Clothing & Skate Pop-Up to Open in May

Posted in Coney Island Redevelopment, News, tagged clothing brand, Coney Island, Lennon Ficalora, Retail, skate shop, Thor Equities, Wampum on April 11, 2013| 2 Comments »

Coming to Coney: Wampum Pineapple Brim Anchor Snapback. Photo via wampumny.com

Wampum, a lifestyle clothing brand and skate shop with locations in Bridgehampton and Nolita, is set to open a Coney Island pop-up on May 24. The location is 1232 Surf Avenue in Thor Equities new building. The space is on Stillwell Avenue across the street from Nathan’s. “We just finalized the deal,” Wampum’s Lennon Ficalora told ATZ.

Lennon, 26, and his brother Marley, 24, opened their first shop two years ago and were looking to expand to another seaside location. Coney Island was familiar from trips to the Siren Festival. “We got a good deal,” says Lennon of the 2,500 square foot raw space, which they have leased from Thor through Labor Day. “We’re doing a minimal build-out.” Their neighbor in the still vacant new building will be candy retailer It’Sugar, a Miami-based chain also expected to open on Memorial Day Weekend.

The Ficalora brothers grew up skateboarding in Montauk, where their family runs the Breakers Motel. According to Wampum’s website, Lennon and Marley’s two shops are located next to their mother Helen Ficalora’s jewelry stores and her success as a jewelry designer was influential in their decision to open the Wampum stores. “The Wampum brand embodies the whole lifestyle that comes with skateboarding,” said Lennon, who was the first local kid ever invited to compete in the Van’s Warp Tour National Skateboarding Competition.

Wampum Nolita was named the best skate shop by New York Magazine in 2012. However, the Coney Island pop-up will feature 90 per cent clothing. “We hand print all the shirts and work with local artists. All the clothing is made in America,” said Lennon. The online shop stocks T-shirts, tanks, shorts, hats and beanies. Some of the items are made from 100% organic cotton. T-shirts sell for $30-$40, which is twice the price we’re used to seeing in Coney Island. Asked if the new shop will feature Coney-themed apparel, Lennon said, “I think so. We’re still finalizing it. There will definitely be some exclusives.”

Surf Avenue is set to get an influx of national chains and franchises–Applebee’s, Johnny Rockets, Red Mango, Checkers, It’Sugar. The upscale Wampum is the first small business to lease space in Thor Equities new building at Surf and Stillwell. Why aren’t there more? Back in December, a press release from Thor Equities offered potential good news for retailers and restaurateurs who wanted to get a foot in the door of the new Coney Island: “Thor To Add Local Flavor To Coney Island By Leasing Major Surf Avenue Parcels To Local Brooklyn Merchants At Reduced Rents For 2013.” Thor was said to be teaming up with the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce to help recruit tenants. The idea was to fully lease Joe Sitt’s new building at Surf and Stillwell for the summer of 2013.

May we suggest a contest to attract a Brooklyn start-up with the winner receiving a highly publicized rent-free season in one of Joe Sitt’s remaining storefronts? Amusements in “Use Group A” such as arcades, games of chance or skill, fortune tellers, freak shows, wax museums and other midway attractions should also be given a percentage of space in the building as required by the City’s zoning in Coney Island. The Fascination Arcade, Shoot Out the Star and “Baloon Raceing” were among the old school amusements in the Henderson Building until it was demolished by Thor and replaced by the new building.

Update: This Wampum location is closed.

Paul’s Daughter: “We love Coney Island and we love what we do”

Posted in Coney Island Redevelopment, tagged Coney Island 8, Coney Island Boardwalk, Mom & Pops, Paul's Daughter, Ruby's Bar on March 9, 2011| 5 Comments »

Yes, all eight of the Coney Island 8 signed the agreement with property manager Zamperla’s Central Amusement International and the City that will allow 7 of them–Shoot the Freak is out– to lease their City-owned Boardwalk locations for one final summer. The Georgoulakos family, owners of Paul’s Daughter, one of the Coney Island 8 Mom & Pop businesses, sent out the following statement today:

We are excited about returning for the 2011 season, but at the same time, this settlement is bittersweet. It is not the outcome we were hoping for, but the one we thought attainable. We love Coney Island and we love what we do. We have been in this location for 41 years through the good and the bad. It has been our living, our family, our heart and soul. We do not know what the future holds, but it is our wish that Coney Island remain the unique, quirky, fun place for all that is has always been — with or without us. Hope to see you on the Boardwalk this summer!

Happily, we’ll have to revise the captions on our photos of “the last French fry” at Paul’s Daughter and “last call” at Ruby’s. Let’s see plenty of eating, drinking and being merry at the Boardwalk establishments this summer, for they are contractually obligated to exit quietly at the end of the season.

As ATZ reported in January, Sodexo, the world’s ~~22nd~~ 21st largest corporation, will open their own restaurant at Paul’s Daughter’s location. A year-round sports bar is planned for the space occupied by Ruby’s and Coney Island Souvenirs.

The other evicted businesses granted a reprieve for 2011 are Ruby’s Bar, Cha Cha’s, Steve’s Grill House, Gyro Corner, Beer Island and Coney Island Souvenirs. Ruby’s posted a message on their Facebook page:

It is Official. A deal was signed yesterday, and we are happy to announce that RUBY’S will be celebrating our 36th year in business, and will be open for the 2011 season. This small victory has happened in part due to the help and support of ALL of our loyal friends, and patrons. THANK YOU!!!