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Fence Wrap Advertising Comes to Coney Island’s Stillwell Avenue

Posted in News, Real Estate, tagged advertising, CIDC, Coney Island Development Corporation, fence wraps, Stillwell Avenue, Thor Equities on June 7, 2010| Leave a Comment »

AFTER: Advertising on Fence Wraps, Stillwell Ave East, Coney Island. May 28, 2010. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Thanks to some fence wrap magic, tourists who walk down Stillwell Ave on their way to the Beach and Boardwalk will no longer be confronted by abandoned flea market tents and empty lots. In April, the Coney Island Development Corporation initiated the fence wrap project for the City’s parcels on the Boardwalk side of Stillwell, where CAI/Zamperla will build Scream Zone after finishing work on Luna Park.

Thor Equities abandoned flea market, Coney Island. April 16, 2010. Photo © Tricia Vita//me-myself-i via flickr

BEFORE: Thor Equities abandoned flea market tents on Stillwell Ave East, Coney Island. April 16, 2010. Photo © Tricia Vita//me-myself-i via flickr

Since Thor Equities Stillwell lots have remained vacant, the CIDC got permission to install the wraps on Thor’s property as well. The advertising campaign does a good job of hiding what remains of Thor’s tent structures from last summer’s failed flea market. The structures are on Thor’s land only, since the city cleared their section of Stillwell after the property was purchased from Thor in November. The mesh banners advertise the Brooklyn Cyclones, Ringling’s Coney Island Illuscination, the Cyclone Roller Coaster, Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park, Luna Park and the Coney Island Fun Guide’s “More Ooohs. New Aaahs” campaign. Kudos to the CIDC’s Lynn Kelly and Nathan Bliss, who were seen installing the fence wraps themselves without any help from Joe Sitt.

Advertising on Fence Wraps, Thor Equities Stillwell West lot. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

AFTER: Advertising on Fence Wraps, Thor Equities Stillwell West lot. May 28, 2010. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Not exactly news: Thor Equities’ flashy ad in IAAPA Funworld amounts to a charade because Sitt failed to lease his property to any of the amusement operators who came to New York to negotiate a deal. While the City can’t force Sitt to rent his property, it appears that he was made to clean up his mess. The tent sidewalls and tops have come down since we reported that bedraggled tents were the first sight visitors see when they stroll down Stillwell Avenue (“Thor’s Coney Island: Tattered Tents, Deathwatch for Vacant Buildings,” April 21).

But the framework remains standing since Sitt was reportedly asking prospective tenants to pay the cost. “They won’t take it down. It costs 10 grand to take it down,” Mark Lovell of Universal Fairs told ATZ last month (“Scoop: Deal to Rent Thor’s Coney Island Lots a No-Go for Fair Producer, May 13). Rumor has it that yet another potential tenant is waiting to sign a lease. Sorry, we’ll believe it when they’re set up and selling tickets! Let’s not forget what Stillwell looked like before Joe Sitt bought the property and got rid of the amusements.

BEFORE: Thor Equities abandoned flea market tent, Stillwell West. April 16, 2010. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Photo Album: Preview of Coney Island’s New Luna Park

Posted in amusement park, News, Photo Album, tagged Coney Island, Luna Park, OPening Day, Preview, Zamperla on May 29, 2010| 1 Comment »

Luna Park's Grand Opening is Saturday, May 29th. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i

Today at 11 am Coney Island’s new Luna Park opens to the public and will be open all weekend. Don’t miss this historic occasion: It’s the first new amusement park in Coney in four decades! On Friday morning ATZ attended the press event and preview of the park’s attractions. Here are a few photos from our album – you may view the complete flickr set here.

Aerialist at Luna Park's Opening Ceremony.May 28, 2010. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i

Aerialist Melissa Marie at Luna Park's Opening Ceremony.May 28, 2010. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i

Kids from P.S. 100 wearing “I’m the first LUNAtic on earth” T-shirts were the very first New Yorkers to ride the new rides.

Kids from P.S. 100 visit the new Luna Park. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i

Kite Glider as well as the Coney Island-themed Lynn’s Trapeze and Coney Island Sound were among the rides operating at yesterday’s preview. The park will have 19 rides, including two roller coasters and two water flumes.

Race to Ride at Coney Island's Luna Park. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i

Look for more photos and commentary tomorrow. We work in Coney Island and are in a bit of a rush to get there to open our booth. Visit the Coney Island Fun Guide online or check out ConeyIsland’s twitterers for detailed info about all of the events and attractions in the People’s Playground. See you soon!

Photo Album: Coney Island Arcade Fire’s Awful Aftermath

Posted in News, Photo Album, tagged Brooklyn, Coney Island, Coney Island Arcade, Fire on May 7, 2010| 3 Comments »

Fire marshals at Coney Island Arcade on the day after the fire. © Tricia Vita//me-myself-i via flickr

Fire marshals at Coney Island Arcade on the day after the fire. May 6, 2010. © Tricia Vita//me-myself-i via flickr

The day after the devastating fire at Coney Island Arcade, workers were busy clearing away debris and cutting planks to enclose the building at Bowery and 12th Street. We joined a group of amusement operators and owners surveying the damage and lamenting the terrible loss of our friend Manny’s arcade. Manny Cohen, owner and operator of Coney Island Arcade, was en route to New York after attending an amusement expo in China. His friends on Coney’s Bowery had stayed up all night guarding the contents of the arcade. Lights from the rides across the street shone into the open arcade. The FDNY had to saw open the metal shutters and break through the roof to fight the stubborn fire, which took more than two-and-a-half hours to put out.

The Day After the Fire at Coney Island Arcade. Photo © Tricia Vita//me-myself-i via flickr

One amusement operator alleged the fire was caused by the use of a propane torch by roofers who had been tarring the arcade’s roof on May 5th, the day of the fire. He claimed that when the roofers showed up the next day a fire marshal was waiting to arrest them. A quick search on the web turned up the info that it is illegal to use a propane torch on a combustible roof. According to an article by NYARM (New York Association of Realty Managers), “New York City Fire Chief Marshal Louis Garcia, Bureau of Fire Investigation, issued a directive, effective June 22, 1999, regarding what he described as ‘the reckless and illegal practice of using propane torches in installing modified roofing material on combustible [wood deck] roofs, and establishing guidelines for the arrest and prosecution of individuals and companies responsible for this reckless behavior. The penalty for violating these rules, built into the rules themselves, is arrest for endangerment of property. Further, anyone sanctioning the illegal use of propane on roofs, including board members, engineers or architects, attorneys who draw up contracts, managing agents and roofing companies, can all be subject to arrest!'”

Another operator recalled that some of Coney Island’s most notorious fires had been caused by roof tarring. The Hell Gate fire which destroyed Dreamland Park in 1911 was among them. Hell Gate was a boat ride through the caverns of hell. “The fire started around 2 A.M., from an explosion of some light bulbs that were near a pail of tar in the Hellgate that was being repaired. Built of pine, paper mache and freshly painted for the new season, the fire spread very quickly,” according to the FDNY’s unofficial history page.

The Coney Island Arcade occupied a century-old timber frame building. Sources say the structure was damaged beyond repair by the fire and will have to be torn down. The building is owned by Jeff Persily. Just to clarify a popular misconception: Real estate speculator Joe Sitt of Thor Equities does not own the building, though he does own the adjacent Bank of Coney Island Building.

We’re told the arcade machines suffered water damage and are a total loss. Coney Island Arcade’s water race game, balloon dart and other games occupy an adjoining steel frame building, which was not damaged by the fire. The games are already open for business today.

Adjoining game concessions were in a steel building and have already reopened for business. Photo © Tricia Vita//me-myself-i via flickr

Will Coney Island Arcade be rebuilt and back in business anytime soon? We hope so. It’s painful to see a burned out building where a thriving business was just last weekend. It will be painful to see this corner become an empty lot. The fire is a huge loss, not only for Manny Cohen, but for the entire amusement community in Coney Island. We hope the building owner takes a cue from the activity just down the street, where workers are laboring round the clock to finish the new Luna Park in time for the May 29th grand opening.