Amusing the Zillion

Joe Sitt Plays in His Coney Island Sandbox

July 21, 2009 by Tricia

Joey Sitt Plays with Bulldozers in His Coney Island Sandbox. Art by Tiny Tim

Joey Sitt Enjoys Playing with Bulldozers in His Coney Island Sandbox. Art by Tiny Tim

Some toddlers never grow up. Meet Joey “Bulldozer” Sitt, CEO of Thor Equities, largest landowner in Coney Island. After a City Council Subcommittee passed Mayor Bloomberg’s rezoning plan today, Sitt told the NY Post, “I’m the guy who controls this – it’s my sandbox.” He added that he would be willing “to share my sandbox with my friend Mayor Mike.”

Translation: Lawyers for Joe Sitt and the City’s Economic Development Corporation are wheeling and dealing behind closed doors. The deal is that Sitt would sell at least half of his Coney property to the City and keep the rest to develop or flip. With most favorable zoning of course!

Thanks to graphic artist Tiny Tim for sending us the photo collage of Joey demolishing Coney Island’s go-karts, batting cages, bumper boats, and mini golf. Creating empty lots in Coney is this CEO’s favorite outdoor activity. The Astrotower is still standing because Sitt said he “fell in love” with it and wants to keep it.

Hey, we love the Astrotower too. We also believe Coney Island is the People’s Sandbox, not Joe Sitt’s. Give it back to us, you bully.

Target the Coney Island Arcade Cat Introduces His Sister Targeretty

July 21, 2009 by Tricia

Target the Cat in the Basketball Game, Coney Island. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Target the Cat in the Basketball Game on the Bowery near Jones Walk, Coney Island. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Coney Island Arcade operator Manny Cohen, who owns Target the Coney Island Arcade Cat, sent us this photo of our favorite Coney cat and his sister Targeretty. Although we’ve been taking pix of Target since 2007, we’ve never even glimpsed his shy sister.

Portrait of Target and Targeretty, the Coney Island Arcade Cats. Photo © Manny Cohen

Targeretty hides out in the office of the Coney Island Arcade while the gregarious Target makes his rounds of the arcade and the games and rides on the Bowery. Target is also the official mascot of the flickr group Coney Island is Alive and Kicking and Welcomes Visitors in 2009!

Target the Cat at Home in the Coney Island Arcade. Photo © Manny Cohen

At the beginning of the season Jimmy was interviewed for a story in the NY Times and Target’s photo was featured in the slide show along with pics of the world famous Cyclone Roller Coaster and the Wonder Wheel. I’ve taken enough photos to make a flickr set called Target the World Famous Coney Island Arcade Cat. But fame hasn’t changed Target one bit. Before the parade got started on Mermaid Day, I found Jimmy and Target working together as usual in the Balloon Dart.

Target & Jimmy Waiting for Customers. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Target the Coney Island Arcade Cat Stretching. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Target the Cat Playing with a Prize. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Posted in Animals, Photo Album | Tagged balloon dart, cat, Coney Island, Coney Island Arcade, Target the Cat | 3 Comments »

Coney Island Hip-Hop Anthem: AMO1’s Fight for Your Right to Save Coney

July 19, 2009 by Tricia

“You gotta fight for your right to Save Coney. A real landmark but they’re trying to make it phony,” raps Coney Island hip-hop artist AMO1. The anthem was written for the group Save Coney Island.

What makes this special is AMO1’s Coney roots. “They’re tryin’ to tear my land down…tryin’ to destroy a legend,” he says. “Don’t let it get destroyed by Thor Equities. Keep every acre of land for amusements.” The Cyclone roller coaster, Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park, the freak show, and cotton candy on kids’ faces get a mention in the vid. AMO1 pays tribute to the go karts, which were bulldozed by real estate speculator Thor Equities in 2007.

The first time you ever drove was at the go kart races
Get hungry and go to Nathans
Most been here their whole life cause it’s amazing
Let’s stop them from tearing it down to the pavement
Cause this is all we got for the youth so let’s save it.

If there was ever a time to fight for your right to Save Coney, it’s now or never. The City Council’s Land Use Committee is expected to vote on the rezoning plan this week. Perhaps even as early as tomorrow morning! The full Council vote is scheduled for July 29. In a last ditch effort to save the People’s Playground, Save Coney Island is asking New Yorkers to call their elected officials and request changes to the City’s plan.

7/20 UPDATE: we just received an urgent email from Save Coney Island that The Land Use Committee met today and recessed without making any recommendations. The Zoning and Land Use Committees are now scheduled to vote tomorrow, Tuesday the 21st, on revisions to the Coney Island rezoning plan:

WE NEED YOU TO ATTEND AND MAKE OUR PRESENCE FELT!
When: 10:30 am
Where: City Hall Chambers.
PLEASE, GET THERE EARLY TO GET THROUGH SECURITY.

Bring a sign! The last time, they gave us a hard time about anything bigger than 8.5 x 11. You can download one no bigger than that here(pdf).

The vote by the Land Use Committee is the last chance for the plan to be fixed. If council members choose to vote on the plan without significant amendments dealing with the amusement area, we will know that they ignored your calls and that they are indifferent to the destruction of the “People’s Playground”. The vote by the entire City Council is scheduled for July 29th.

Keep making phone calls! Call Quinn, Recchia, and your council member. Tell them that Coney Island amusements are a city-wide issue, and that the plan must be fixed. All the info you need to make a call is here. Call now!