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Photo Album: Requiem for Coney Island’s Shoot Out the Star

Posted in Amusement Game, Photo Album, Redevelopment, tagged Creative Time, Henderson Building, Shoot out the Star, shooting gallery, signage, Steve Powers, Thor Equities on October 28, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Out the Star. October 15, 2010. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Somebody swiped “The Star” from the Shoot Out the Star sign on Thor Equities-owned Henderson Building, exposing an earlier version of the signage. We’re glad they did. At least it won’t be destroyed with the rest of the building.

Following the fortunes of Shoot Out the Star on Coney Island’s Stillwell Avenue is one of our longtime obsessions. One year ago this week, the game was open for business. After cutting up jackpots with the operator and helping him call people in to play, ATZ posted “Coney Island’s Shoot Out the Star Still Open… Players Wanted!” Coney’s rides and the rest of the games were closed by Columbus Day as usual, but the shooting gallery was open almost every day. CB, who ran the game for Slim, kept it open year round. We’re told that Shoot Out the Star was in operation at the Henderson for about 20 years.

Shoot out the Star--Players Wanted! Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

One year ago: Shoot out the Star--Players Wanted! October 30, 2009. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

On the day of my visit, CB wasn’t looking any further ahead than the next couple of days. In fact, the operator was locked out a few weeks later by Thor and never opened again. When spring came, CB found a hole around the corner on the Bowery. Shoot Out the Star remained shuttered for the 2010 season though it was “liberated” on Memorial Day Weekend by a couple of guys. We snapped a few photos, careful not to capture their faces. As far as we know, these are the last images of Shoot Out the Star in operation. It was the shooting gallery’s last hurrah. Along with Faber’s Fascination, Shoot Out the Star was among a handful of year-round amusement destinations in Coney Island. Now both are gone.

Last Hurrah: Shoot Out the Star. May 29, 2010. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

As ATZ reported previously, the City issued a demolition permit for the former Henderson Music Hall, which has undergone asbestos abatement and is now surrounded by demolition scaffolding. The Shoot Out the Star sign above the awning is still intact, awaiting its fate. In May, NY1 did an interview with Joe Sitt in which he claimed the buildings were “horrible rundown relics.” According to the reporter “Sitt said he’ll re-use the vintage signs in a more modern setting.” After seeing the Fascination sign on the Henderson cannibalized by a tenant and the Surf Hotel sign offered to a bystander, we’re skeptical about ever seeing this historic signage again.

Last Hurrah: The Star. May 29, 2010. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Shoot out the Star’s iconic signage is the work of Dreamland Artist Club founder Steve Powers, who also painted the Cyclone roller coaster seats, the Coney Island Museum steps, and the Bump Your Ass Off sign for the Eldorado. In 2003, Powers teamed up with Creative Time, the non-profit public art agency, to bring artists to Coney Island to create new signage for the stands along Jones Walk and the Bowery. The first year’s funding was $80,000. When the murals and signage debuted in June 2004, Powers told the Times: “A large percentage of them will be up forever.”

Last month, when we realized the Henderson signage was endangered, we urged Powers and Creative Time to come out to Coney and rescue their work! Don’t the signs actually belong to Creative Time? Haven’t heard back. We hope “The Star” found a good home.

Lettering on Thor Equities banner Dwarfs Shoot out the Star. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Lettering on Thor Equities banner Dwarfs Shoot out the Star. January 1, 2009. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Photos from the Demolition: Historic Bank of Coney Island

Posted in Photo Album, Photo of the Day, Real Estate, tagged Bank of Coney Island, Bruce Handy, demolition, historic buildings, Joe Sitt, scaffolding, Thor Equities on October 25, 2010| 3 Comments »

Bank of Coney Island Demolition. October 21, 2010. Photo © Bruce Handy/Pablo 57 via flickr

Last week, the doomed Bank of Coney Island had holes punched in its wall by Joe Sitt’s demo men in prep for the installation of demolition scaffolding. The northeast corner of West 12th and Bowery has taken on the brutal look of a torture chamber. The victim is the 87-year-old building itself, the first of four historic buildings in Coney Island marked for demolition by Thor Equities.

As we wrote in “Photo of the Day: The Bank of Coney Island, Now & Then” (Oct 14, 2010):

Shame on Thor Equities for not even responding to the written pleas of individuals and organizations to re-purpose the building or at least save the facade. Shame on the City of New York for sacrificing the building by rezoning the parcel for a 30-story high rise in July 2009.

Real estate speculator Joe Sitt bought the Bank of Coney Island building in 2005 for $3 million and kept it vacant. ATZ knows at least two potential tenants whose proposals for leasing and rehabbing the building went nowhere. Alas, Joe Sitt’s price to lease the property– $500,000– was too steep. Perhaps Thor did not want to be encumbered by tenants or leases because the building was marked for demolition from the moment it was purchased?

Bank of Coney Island Demolition Scaffolding. October 25, 2010. Photo © Bruce Handy/Pablo 57 via flickr

Thanks to Coney Island photographer Bruce Handy for documenting this unfortunate situation in his flickr set. “They built the scaffolding on the West 12th Street side today,” says Bruce, who notes that the police stopped to ask a passersby what was written on the permits posted on the wall. Though the signs are newly posted, what they have to say is not news: the Department of Buildings issued the demolition permit on August 13.

During Thor Equities’ 40 days of demolition, ATZ will continue to post documentary photos. Help us keep this disgraceful demo in the public eye by sending newsworthy pix and info to hello[AT]triciavita[DOT]com. Hey, maybe a sympathetic insider will send us a photo from inside the torture chamber! Be careful…

It's official: the City of NY approves the demolition. October 25, 2010. Photo © Bruce Handy/Pablo 57 via flickr

Halloween in Coney Island: Snapshots of Luna Park’s Nights of Horror

Posted in amusement park, Events, Photo Album, tagged Coney Island, Halloween, haunted event, Luna Park, Nights of Horror on October 18, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Timothy Haskell, Nights of Horror creator, with one of his spooky characters. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i

Timothy Haskell, Nights of Horror mastermind, with one of his spooky fiends. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i

When it comes to spooky characters popping out of dark corners at a haunted attraction, ATZ is a well-known scaredy cat. We made sure to arrive well before dark on opening night of Luna Park Coney Island’s Nights of Horror. The Halloween festivities, which are scheduled till midnight, were about to get started at 5 pm. At the Surf Avenue gate, we spied theater director and Nights of Horror mastermind Timothy Haskell with one of his fiends. Ax in hand, the fiend offered us a fresh brain. We politely declined and hurried over to get our wristband.

Haunted games at Luna Park's Nights of Horror. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Spooky characters kept popping out from behind bales of hay as we made our way through the park. Our friend Stan Fox warned us, “Don’t turn around.” The ride and game operators were also costumed for Nights of Horror, except they don’t wear masks. Photography is not permitted within the maze. We’ll have to tell you about it without giving too much away! It was fun. Being a scaredy cat, we screamed a lot. Then we laughed hysterically..

Spooky character at Luna Park Nights of Horror. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Seven of the rides on the Boardwalk side of the park have been incorporated into the maze. They spin continuously during the event without any people aboard. Something was amiss though. They were haunted! A couple of games within the maze have also undergone a ghoulish transformation. As a longtime game operator, this was probably our favorite part of the maze. We really cannot say any more! You’ll have to go and see for yourself…

Riding the Circus Coaster at dusk. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Nights of Horror is a ticketed event. It costs $25 in advance or online, $30 at the gate, and $20 with ID for college or high school students, military, NYPD, FDNY and EMS. The price includes one-time access to the haunted maze and unlimited access to 12 rides. Among the rides are the Brooklyn Flyer, Air Race, Electro Spin, Eclipse, Tickler Coaster, Circus Coaster, Lynn’s Trapeze, Hang Glider and Water Flume. One of our friends rode the Circus Coaster 20 times! Keep in mind that Halloween season will be your last chance to enjoy Coney Island’s rides in 2010. After October 31, the rides don’t open again until Palm Sunday, which is April 17, 2011.

Halloween Treats at Luna Park. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Halloween treats include candy floss, popcorn, S’Mores, hot chocolate and apple cider. Luna Park’s seasonal menu also includes chili and roasted corn.

Uh oh…it’s getting dark….Caution: strobe lights and fog effects ahead!

Favorite spookiest character at Luna Park Nights of Horror. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Say hello to our fave spooky character of the first Night of Horror. This petite creature sneaked up on us in front of the Electro Spin. She had a delightfully creepy prop in her hand–a doll’s severed hand–and was slyly adept at wielding it. By the time our friend had finished his ride, she’d completely charmed us.

Luna Park, 1000 Surf Avenue, Coney Island, 718-373-LUNA (5862). Nights of Horror runs every Friday and Saturday from 5 pm-12 am and on Sundays from 5-10 pm through October 31.