Redevelopment | Amusing the Zillion

Archive for the ‘Redevelopment’ Category

Photo of the Day: Ruby’s Old Tyme Bar by Kenny Lombardi

Posted in Food & Drink, Photo of the Day, Photography, Redevelopment, tagged Coney Island Boardwalk, Countdown to Corporatization, Kenny Lombardi, Ruby's Bar on October 9, 2011| 4 Comments »

Ruby’s Bar was closed on Saturday for Yom Kippur, but they’re open today and every day at 11 am till the end of October. Last fall, there were a slew of “last call” parties at Ruby’s, but sadly this year’s goodbye party on October 29th really is goodbye. The fact that Ruby’s merited a Critics’ Picks in New York Magazine and was voted one of the World’s 21 Sexiest Beach Bars by the Travel Channel means nothing to people bent on gentrifying and corporatizing the Boardwalk. As we wrote yesterday, the one-year reprieve is over for the Boardwalk Mom-and-Pops who were first served “surrender the premises” notices by Zamperla’s Central Amusement International last November.

Seven businesses–Ruby’s Bar, Paul’s Daughter, Cha Cha’s, Gyro Corner, Steve’s Grill House, Beer Island and the Suh family’s Coney Island Souvenir Shop– must vacate their City-owned storefronts by November 4, 2011 as per the terms of the one-year lease extension.

ATZ is saying goodbye to old friends with a favorite photo a day from October 8 through November 4. Click the tag “Countdown to Corporatization” to find all of the photos. Thanks to Kenny Lombardi–KeneL9999 on flickr– who frequently photographs Coney Island and its denizens, for this timeless photo of Ruby’s Old Tyme Bar and Grill.

UPDATE October 27, 2011, 11:40 am

Ruby’s “Final Closing Party” was changed to Sunday, October 30, due to weather forecast for Saturday. Same time–11am till ??–same place. Check Ruby’s Facebook page for updates.

Photo of the Day: “The Chief” of the Coney Island Boardwalk

Posted in Food & Drink, Photo of the Day, Redevelopment, tagged Coney Island Boardwalk, Countdown to Corporatization, Gregory & Paul's, Paul Georgoulakos, Paul's Daughter, Sodexo on October 8, 2011| 7 Comments »

Paul Georgoulakos at Paul's Daughter on the Coney Island Boardwalk. April 17, 2011. Photo © Tricia Vita

When we stopped by Paul’s Daughter last Monday, “The Chief” called out “light, no sugar” to a helper and offered us coffee and cookies. Paul Georgoulakos, 82, is the oldest operator on the Coney Island Boardwalk and beloved by all except the Bloomberg administration, which purchased the property occupied by his restaurant from Thor Equities, and Zamperla’s Luna Park, which leases it from the City. As Paul’s daughter Tina told ATZ earlier this year: “I wanted so much to be a part of the New Coney Island but they didn’t even offer me a tiny little spot on the Boardwalk.”

The Boardwalk restaurant formerly known as Gregory & Paul’s, a masterpiece of vernacular signage established in 1962, is being kicked out to make way for a soulless cafeteria run by Sodexo. The French multinational is the world’s largest food services management company and the world’s 21st largest corporation. In Coney Island, Sodexo also operates the new Cyclone Cafe on Surf Avenue, though you won’t find their name on the marquee. Apparently Luna Park’s “partner for one-site service solutions” likes to keep a low profile in the People’s Playground.

The City’s revitalization plan calls for year-round restaurants in Coney Island’s amusement zone. On Monday, Paul’s Daughter as well as Ruby’s Bar, Gyro Corner and the Suh family’s souvenir shop, whose days on the Boardwalk are also coming to an end, were open as usual. Sodexo’s Cyclone Cafe was shut tight as a drum.

With 27 days left until seven Mom & Pops are kicked off the Coney Island Boardwalk, ATZ will be saying goodbye to old friends with a favorite photo a day. The seven businesses must vacate the premises by November 4th. The one-year reprieve is over. If you have a photo, new or old, that you’d like to contribute, please post a link below or send to hello[AT]triciavita[dot}com

Paul's Daughter, Oct 31, 2010. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Last Live Show at Soon to Close Cha Cha’s of Coney Island

Posted in Events, Redevelopment, tagged Cha Cha's of Coney Island, Hardcore Punk on October 2, 2011| Leave a Comment »

On Saturday, friends honored the memory of “JT”–John Thomas–longtime manager and music promoter of Cha Cha’s of Coney Island and the former Club Atlantis, who died last year. His ashes were scattered off Steeplechase Pier for the second time and the band Neptune Jam played a tribute.

Today, hardcore punk bands will be playing their last live show at Cha Cha’s of Coney Island, which closes forever this month. The scathingly satirical poster by Mike SOS and Friends says it all: Mayor Bloomberg is suited up as a commando with an Uzi. A comic book character of a girl assures her guy: “Soon Coney Island will be a safe place for us!!” The message in the background is “Gentrification brought to you by your pals at Disney, phizer and Bloomberg news radio.”

Our theory on the upcoming gentrification of the Boardwalk is that it’s the City’s first step toward making the neighborhood attractive to the type of people who might buy the condos slated to be built in the future. The rezoning plan approved by the City Council in 2009 put 26 high-rise residential towers and 5,000 new units of housing in Coney Island, including beachfront condos on Taconic Investment Partners 5.5 blocks of vacant land just west of MCU Park.

The bands that will be playing at the farewell tribute to good ol’ Cha Cha’s of Coney Island include The Nones, Ritz Riot, Social Standards, Abject, Psycho Enhancer, Dealin’ With It, Red Eyed Devil, Setback, The Blame, Skum City and Megabush. As the promoter Mike SOS says: “Come out and pay your respects to the end of another NYC landmark!” The free show starts at 2pm.

March 15, 2011: Hail, Hail Garland Jeffreys! Coney Island Has a New Anthem

February 17, 2011: New Construction: Coney Island’s 1st Private Beachfront Condos on Boardwalk

January 4, 2011: Dance Video: Coney Island Poker Face by Charles Denson

November 1 2010: Out With the Old in Coney Island: Only 2 of 11 Boardwalk Businesses Invited Back