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40 Day Demolition of Historic Coney Island Buildings Set to Begin

Posted in Demolition, Real Estate, Redevelopment, tagged Bank of Coney Island, Coney Island, Henderson Bulding, rezoning, Thor Equities on October 8, 2010| 2 Comments »

Demolition scaffolding on Stillwell side of Henderson Building. Oct 7, 2010. Photo © Bruce Handy/Pablo 57 via flickr

On Thursday, Coney Island’s former Henderson Music Hall and Bank of Coney Island buildings moved one step closer to total annihilation by the hammer of Thor. Next time you arrive in Coney and step out of Stillwell Terminal, the gateway to Coney Island, you may be just in time to see and snap documentary photos of a real, live demolition!

We’re not referring to a demolition derby folks, but the sad and shameful dismantling of four historic Coney Island buildings. Joe Sitt of Thor Equities did not respond to preservationists’ efforts to “save” or re-purpose the buildings, but the City of New York is also to blame for having rezoned the parcels for 30-story high-rise hotels in 2009. On Thursday morning, workmen began putting up demolition scaffolding around Thor Equities-owned Henderson Building at the corner of Surf Avenue and Stillwell. Before they quit for the day, the first piece of scaffolding had been erected in front of the Bank of Coney Island building on West 12th Street. On Friday, the workmen finished the scaffolding at the Henderson.

First piece of demolition scaffolding erected at Bank of Coney Island Building. Oct 7, 2010. Photo © Bruce Handy/Pablo 57 via flickr

The demolition will be a weekday event due to the demo company’s work schedule. These guys usually start work early in the morning. The Coney Island Fun Guide is unlikely to list this event, but you can depend on ATZ’s twitter feed for updates on which building is being demolished and when. We intend to follow this story to the bitter end! If you’re working on a documentary about Coney Island redevelopment, you won’t want to miss it! The demolition is expected to be finished within a 40-day time frame, according to sources.

Demolition scaffolding at Thor Equities-owned Henderson Building. Oct 7, 2010. Photo © Bruce Handy/Pablo 57 via flickr

Demolition in Progress! Coney Island’s Surf Hotel in Henderson Building

Posted in Demolition, Real Estate, Redevelopment, tagged Coney Island, demolition under the radar, Surf Hotel, Thor Equities on September 23, 2010| 10 Comments »

Surf Hotel Signage. December 26, 2008. Photo © Bruce Handy/Pablo 57 via flickr

A tipster phoned to tell us that Coney Island’s Surf Hotel on the second story of Thor Equities-owned Henderson Buiilding (pictured below in 2009) is being demolished. We’re told yellow tape blocking off the street and a tarp covering the sidewalk were the only concessions to public safety. Workers were ripping out window frames and walls. The Community Board 13 was alerted to the hazardous situation. As ATZ reported previously,Thor Equities has an asbestos abatement permit from the DEP. A demolition permit cannot be issued by the DOB until the asbestos work is certified as complete. We will update the story when more info & photos come in.

Thor's demolition of historic Coney Island in progress! Windows were ripped out of Henderson Building today. Photo by Anonymouse via Amusing the Zillion

September 23, 2010: Thor's demolition of historic Coney Island in progress! Windows were ripped out of Henderson Building today. Photo by Anonymouse via Amusing the Zillion

Update: We talked with CB 13 Manager Chuck Reichenthal…The bad news is the historic Henderson Building is coming down! The DOB told the CB Manager that Thor Equities does indeed have a demolition permit from the DOB since the asbestos abatement was certified as complete. What are the DOB’s guidelines for demolition? Reichenthal was told there really aren’t any. Yellow caution tape rules!

Here’s the Henderson’s page on the DOB’s website. We don’t see a demo permit, but there’s a two day lag on updates. Permits for construction of a “ONE STORY NEW COMMERCIAL BUILDING WITH ASSEMBLY AND AMUSEMENT SPACES” filed yesterday (September 22, 2010) are currently pending.

September 23, 2010: Thor's demolition of historic Coney Island in progress! Windows ripped out of Henderson Building today. Photo by Anonymouse via Amusing the Zillion

Update, 3:15 pm… The demo men have quit work for the day, according to a friend who went to the site. Now that the windows are gone, you can peer inside at the tin ceilings and vintage light fixtures. Somebody with a zoom lens please go and document it before it’s gone! We’re told that the original Surf Hotel sign pictured above was removed, though its fate remains unknown. Was it saved, scavenged or thrown out with the windows? BTW here’s a photo of the Henderson Building interior in happier days, before the property was bought and blighted by Joe Sitt. In 2007, the Velocity Nightclub occupied the second floor on the Bowery side of the former Henderson Music Hall until Thor bought the building and evicted them.

The Gateway to Coney Island: View of Endangered Henderson Building Owned by Thor Equities. July 12, 2009. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Vid: Thor’s Coney Island: After 3 Decades, Last Supper at Popeye’s & Au Revoir Souvenirs

Posted in Coney Island Redevelopment, Real Estate, tagged Coney Island, demolition, eviction, Henderson Building, Henderson Music Hall, small business, Thor Equities on August 23, 2010| 6 Comments »

“Predatory developer Thor Equities is evicting small businesses while preparing to demolish the historic Henderson Building…” In this video, you’ll meet two business owners who after 3 decades of operating year-round businesses in the Henderson Building have lost their leases and have to move out.

On Saturday we took a few lousy pix of Popeye’s knowing it would be our last chance. After 27 years in Coney Island, Popeye’s Chicken & Biscuits was expected to serve its last supper to customers on Sunday. Today we’re hearing Popeye’s may have gotten a few days reprieve, if you want to head over for a last snack. The Henderson Building at the corner of Surf and Stillwell is one of four lots in Coney Island rezoned last summer for 30-story high rise hotels, which set the stage for the current evictions and demolitions.

Thor-Owned Henderson Building sits on a Parcel Rezoned for a High-Rise Hotel. Photo © Tricia Vita//me-myself-i via flickr

The historic building once known as the Henderson Music Hall is slated to be demolished next month. In the video, the business owners comments are punctuated by the drill of machinery. You’ll see workers carrying out asbestos abatement/demolition on the building’s roof without any protection for the people below. (But that’s another story, which ATZ has been reporting.)

Maritza, who has operated the souvenir stand on the Stillwell Ave side of the Henderson building for 30 years, began packing up and moving out on August 11. In the video, she says she got one week’s notice. “When [Thor Equities] makes the new building he promised to give me a 10 year lease, but I don’t know. They’re supposed to talk to me about it, but I’m still here waiting,” Maritza says in the video. After Thor announced demolition plans in April, a rendering was released of a cheesy looking temporary one-story building occupied by hamburger and taco food joints. At the time we thought it was a ploy to get demo permits from the City and put an end to preservationists’ efforts to get approval for an historic district in Coney Island.

Will Popeye’s and Maritza find a spot in Joe Sitt’s future Mall of Coney Island? That depends on whether you think such a thing will ever be built. From where we stand, Joe Sitt is just creating another empty lot in Coney Island to add to his collection of empty lots. If you’re skeptical, we suggest you take a look at what the now decimated Stillwell Avenue looked like before Joe Sitt.

Evicted by Thor Equities, Popeye's Chicken in Coney Island Closes after 27 Years. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

UPDATE April 10, 2012:

Popeyes Chicken reopened today at 1220 Surf Avenue, a new doors down from their original location, in a building owned by another landlord. The popular fast-food restaurant’s new home is in the Popper Building, which has a distinctive old copper sign that says “Herman Popper & Bro.” and a colorful history.
“Relocated Popeyes Set to Open Today in Coney Island,” ATZ, April 10, 2010

UPDATE August 24, 2010:

Popeye’s last chicken dinner will be served tonight! After 27 years at this location, the restaurant will close at midnight. Thirty people, including 20 year-round employees, are now out of work. The owner has until the end of the month to move out his equipment. He hopes to stay in Coney Island and is looking at two locations- one on the south side of Surf Avenue and another on the north side. We wish him luck and hope to see Popeye’s back soon!

Save Coney Island is giving free walking tours every Sunday through the end of September. The tours highlight the four soon-to-be demolished buildings owned by Thor Equities along Surf Avenue as well as some of Coney’s existing landmarks. This Sunday’s guest tour guide will be historian Charles Denson, author of Coney Island: Lost and Found.