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DOB Stops Thor Demo of Coney Island Bank, Cites Hazardous Conditions

Posted in Demolition, Real Estate, tagged Bank of Coney Island, Coney Island, Department of Buildings, Single Linds Reflex, Thor Equities on November 12, 2010| 2 Comments »

Stop Work Order issued by Building Enforcement Safety Team for 1124 Surf Ave. November 10, 2010. Photo © Mr Jones via ATZ

ATZ has postponed our funeral service for the Bank of Coney Island, which was expected to be completely demolished in two weeks. The partially demolished building is still doomed, but on Wednesday it got a respite from the bulldozer. The Department of Building’s BEST Squad –the Building Enforcement Safety Team– issued a “Full Stop Work Order” at the bank because debris was falling onto adjacent buildings. Our source said a wall coming down is shared with an adjacent property owner who according to city regulations must pay to build a new wall before work can proceed. There’s talk of a court order to force compliance. Who knows how long this will drag on? The demolition permit, which was originally issued in August, was re-issued in October and remains valid through June 11, 2011.

The DOB web page, which has a lag of about 48 hours, is now updated and cites “HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS OBSERVED AT SITE” and “NO CONSTR FENCE PROVIDED FOR CREATING SAFETY ZONE DEBRIS FALLING IN ADJ PROPERTY, STOP ALL WORK COMPLY WITH VIOL.”

These documentary photos are from a set shot inside the bank on Sunday by photo blogger Single Linds Reflex.

Bank of Coney Island Demolition. November 8, 2010. Photo © Single Linds Reflex via flickr

NYC Department of Buildings
Overview for Complaint #:3360583 = RESOLVED
Complaint at: 1124 SURF AVENUE BIN: 3245151 Borough: BROOKLYN ZIP: 11224
Re: HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS OBSERVED AT SITE

Category Code: 21 SAFETY NET/GUARD RAIL-DAM/INADEQ/NONE(OVER 6 STY/75 FT)

DOB District: N/A
Special District: CI – CONEY ISLAND

Assigned To: BEST SQUAD Priority

Bank of Coney Island Demolition. November 8, 2010. Photo © Single Linds Reflex via flickr

Received: 11/10/2010 16:36 Block: 8696 Lot: 37 Community Board: 313
Owner: WEISS SURF AVENUE,LL

Last Inspection: 11/10/2010 – – BY BADGE # 2342
Disposition: 11/10/2010 – A3 – FULL STOP WORK ORDER SERVED
Job Number:
Comments: FTSGP&P NO CONSTR FENCE PROVIDED FOR CREATING SAFETY ZONE DE BRIS FALLING IN ADJ PROPERTY, STOP ALL WORK COMPLY WITH VIOL
DOB Violation #: 111010BS13MI01
ECB Violation #s: 34860946M

Bank of Coney Island Demolition. November 8, 2010. Photo © Single Linds Reflex via flickr

Update… November 15

Alas, Thor’s demo crew resumed work at the doomed Bank of Coney Island again on Monday. The DOB rescinded the stop work order, noting that the required fencing was now in place. Though the Stop Work Order remained in effect for only a few days, it was immensely satisfying to read the headline “DOB Stops Thor Demo….” while it lasted, wasn’t it? Funeral arrangements are being planned. In lieu of flowers contributions may be sent to the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

This Week in Coney Island: Party at Paul’s Daughter, Hypocrisy at NYCEDC

Posted in Real Estate, Redevelopment, tagged Central Amusement International, Coney Island Boardwalk, Gregory & Paul's, NYCEDC, Paul's Daughter, Seth Pinsky, small business on November 10, 2010| 2 Comments »

Connoisseurs of hypocrisy should enjoy this one: On Tuesday, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) tweeted “Support your small local business,” yet refuses to support or say a word to the press about the nine small local businesses booted off City-owned property in Coney Island. The NYCEDC leased the Boardwalk property to Central Amusement International, the New Jersey-based operator of Coney Island’s new Luna Park.

It appears that City officials are trying to distance themselves from responsibility for the eviction of Mom and Pops by referring all requests for comment to CAI. In an op-ed in this week’s Courier News, Valerio Ferrari, president of Central Amusement International promised a “multi-million dollar program that will bring back the world-class mix of entertainment, dining and nightlife that was once a hallmark of the famed Boardwalk.” Last week, Ferrari told us that Luna Park is investing $1.4 million in a new restaurant at the corner of Surf and 10th Street, formerly occupied by Gregory & Paul’s. A Boardwalk restaurant/bar hoping to get a lease renewal would have had to make a million dollar investment as well, Ferrari said.

Also on Tuesday, Paul’s Daughter, the Boardwalk restaurant formerly known as Gregory & Paul’s, posted an invite to a party on Saturday afternoon at 12:30. “It’s on the house!” Come out and enjoy the best french fries in all of Coney Island (yes, better than Nathan’s!) and photograph their iconic signage, perhaps for the very last time (we hope not). Watch for our photo album and reminiscences of the 40-year-old Boardwalk establishment coming tomorrow! Paul’s is one of the nine businesses being forced out by the redevelopment.

Paul's Daughter, formerly Gregory & Paul's, on the Coney Island Boardwalk. June 27, 2009. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

ATZ learned that the businesses, which had been given only two weeks to vacate the premises, were granted a four-day reprieve, presumably to give them a little more time to pack up decades worth of memorabilia and get out. Or perhaps the extension has something to do with legal action taken by eight of the business owners reported in today’s New York Post. Yesterday the businesses received letters extending the original November 15th deadline to vacate till November 19th.

Meanwhile, we’re still waiting for the NYCEDC or its president Seth Pinsky to reply to our tweets: Waiting for @sethpinsky @NYCEDC to “figure out where it makes sense for the various tenants to remain as we build out the amusement park” and Let’s see if @NYCEDC will at least relocate the mom & pop businesses booted off City-owned land in Coney.

This Friday, November 12, will be the one-year anniversary of the city’s press conference on the land buy where Shoot the Freak’s Anthony Berlingieri posed the question directly to Mayor Bloomberg: “Is there a place for us?” NYCEDC President Seth Pinsky gave a diplomatic reply: “Our intention is for the foreseeable future to keep all the tenants in place, certainly through next summer [2010]. And we’re going to be looking to work with each of you to figure out where it makes sense for the various tenants to remain as we build out the amusement park.”

Hey Seth, come to the party at Paul’s Daughter on Saturday, November 13, at 12:30 pm, and support local small business in Coney Island!

Photos from the Demolition: Bulldozer Inside Bank of Coney Island

Posted in Photo of the Day, Real Estate, tagged Bank of Coney Island, Bruce Handy, demolition, historic building, Joe Sitt, Surf Avenue, Thor Equities on November 9, 2010| 1 Comment »

Bank of Coney Island Demolition. November 7, 2010. Photo © Bruce Handy/Pablo 57 via flickr

Last week’s shocking news of the eviction of 9 Boardwalk mom-and-pop businesses by Luna Park operator Central Amusement International stole the spotlight from Thor Equities’ ongoing demolition on Surf Avenue. Some folks asked to be told when the heavy machinery arrived at the Bank of Coney Island. Well, it’s here and has been doing its dirty work..

The roof and part of the back wall of the building were taken out last week. Now you can see right through to the sky and the Wonder Wheel. In these photos by Coney Island photographer Bruce Handy, the bulldozer is parked inside the doomed building, which is shrouded in black demolition netting and scaffolding. Get ready for another funeral.

Check out photo blogger Single Linds Reflex stunning pix from inside the building. A construction worker allowed her and another photographer to take a peek inside yesterday! The worker told them it would take about 2 weeks to completely demolish the building. More photos on Single Linds Reflex’s flickr page.

For more info on the building, see “Photo of the Day: The Bank of Coney Island, Now & Then” (ATZ, October 14, 2010) and “A Rare Peek Inside Endangered Old Bank of Coney Island” (ATZ, October 9, 2009).