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Coney Island Scream Zone’s Official Opening Set for Today

Posted in amusement park, Amusement ride, Photography, tagged Bruce Handy, Coney Island, MotoCoaster, Scream Zone, Steeplechase coaster, Zamperla on April 20, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Zamperla's Steeplechase Motocoaster Under Construction in Scream Zone. April 19, 2011. Photo © Bruce Handy/Coney Island Photo Diary via flickr

On Wednesday at 1 pm, Mayor Bloomberg and other electeds, officials and guests will celebrate the “Grand Opening” of Scream Zone. The new thrill park in Coney Island will open to the public on ~~Thursday~~ at 12 noon. (UPDATE…. On Thursday, Luna Park’s Facebook page said “Scream Zone will open to the public this weekend. We appreciate your patience and enthusiasm as we work on the finishing touches.” Coney Island Fun Guide updated the event page for Saturday, April 23rd. As of April 30, all of Coney Island’s 64 rides, including Scream Zone, Luna Park, Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park and the Cyclone are open Saturdays and Sundays through end of May, when the summer schedule begins.)

Which one of the park’s four rides do you suppose will appear in the photo op? We wouldn’t be surprised to see the Mayor and officials sit astride the “Steeplechase coaster” horses still under wraps in the above photo. Zamperla’s Steeplechase MotoCoaster takes its name from Coney Island’s signature horse race ride that made a circuit around Steeplechase Park. But it does differ quite a bit in design. Most notably, the horses are part of a single train instead of racing against each other on multiple tracks. Another big difference: The ride’s seating design and restraint system are new and improved to comply with current-day safety standards.

At last year’s opening of Luna Park, official “Lunatics” took a group picture on the Electro Spin, though they did not actually go for a spin. We don’t expect them to go for a ride on the coaster, which is still getting finishing touches. But perhaps one of their assistants will be daring enough to try the Sling Shot, which has already been tested and is ready to ride?

Here’s a look at Zamperla’s Pony Express-themed MotoCoaster at Knott’s Berry Farm courtesy of Ryan Childers via YouTube…

UPDATE 8pm…As it turns out the Sling Shot provided the photo op. Mayor Bloomberg and Brooklyn Borough Prez Marty Markowitz pulled the switch to launch a couple of daring 12-year-old kids into the air. Here’s the video!

Photo Album: Whimsical Murals Blossom in Coney Island

Posted in art, Photography, tagged Bruce Handy, Coney Island, Ephameron, NO Longer Empty, OverUnder, Public Art, Veng on April 15, 2011| 4 Comments »

Coney Island Murals by No Longer Empty. April 14, 2011. Photo © Bruce Handy/Coney Island Photo Diary via flickr

Our view from Stillwell Terminal of Surf Avenue is changing again. On Thursday afternoon, we were riveted by a series of photos tweeted by “No Longer Empty” from Coney Island. Whimsical and sophisticated murals of faces, fish, water, beach-goers and divers were blossoming on Thor Equities blue construction fence. At the same time, Coney Island photographer Bruce Handy took a series of photos of the murals, which he posted on flickr.

NLE’s Facebook page explains, “Partnering with the Economic Development Corporation, No Longer Empty brought in OverUnder and Veng and Ephameron to brighten the streetscape in Coney Island.”

Based on the work at Ephameron’s website, she’s the woman contemplating her work in the above photo. The old-fashioned looking faces were painted by Veng, who says he borrows from techniques of the Northern Renaissance and looks to capture the feel of something made long ago. Sorry, We’re Clothed
appears to be OverUnder’s work. (Veng has since confirmed that our guess was correct!) There’s a piece about the artist on the blog Brooklyn Street Art which describes him as “an illustrator, painter, and text writer.”

Coney Island Murals by No Longer Empty. April 14, 2011. Photo © Bruce Handy/Coney Island Photo Diary via flickr

We’re thrilled to see Art instead of “Post No Bills” on Thor’s fence. It’s a good solution to distract people’s attention from the construction fence and the empty lot where the century-old Henderson stood. But we have to wonder if Joe Sitt is paying the artists or reimbursing the City for the cost? Construction has been delayed on the site because the DOB “DISAPPROVED” the building plans as many as 16 times over the past six months. As we have noted many times, Sitt evicted amusement operators from Stillwell in 2007 to “allow the new development to proceed in a timely manner,” but has built NOTHING here except a failed flea market in 2009.

Last April, the Coney Island Development Corporation installed fence wraps advertising Coney’s attractions on the City’s then-empty parcels on the Boardwalk side of Stillwell. Since Thor Equities Stillwell lots had remained vacant, the CIDC got permission to install the wraps on Thor’s property as well. The advertising campaign did a good job of hiding what remained of Thor’s tent structures from 2009’s failed flea market. Empty No Longer’s murals will hide Thor’s newest empty lot.

Coney Island Murals by No Longer Empty. April 14, 2011. Photo © Bruce Handy/Coney Island Photo Diary via flickr

Who is “No Longer Empty”? According to their website…

No Longer Empty (NLE) is a comprised of arts advocates, curators and artists who orchestrate public art exhibitions in vacated storefronts and properties in New York City. The non-profit organization was conceived as an artistic response to our present economic condition and to revitalize empty spaces and areas around the venues by bringing thoughtful, high-caliber art installations with accompanying programs to the public.

Locating art in unexpected places in the public domain suggests new models of community art that are different from major institutions and galleries. Committed to art as a positive component for community and cultural development, No Longer Empty conducts outreach into the community to contribute meaningfully and bolster the local businesses through the increased flow of visitors that these exhibitions attract and by arranging programs such as panel discussions, music and performance evenings, children’s workshops, artist conversations and more.

Coney Island Murals by No Longer Empty. April 14, 2011. Photo © Bruce Handy/Coney Island Photo Diary via flickr

These exhibitions could not have happened without the vacant spaces being generously donated rent-free by the landlords. The exhibitions and art chosen or created are site specific in the sense that they reflect such issues as the former use or history of the site, the nature of the neighborhood and, of course, the specific features of the space. Both established and emerging artists have been selected for the exhibitions, benefiting our audiences with rich variety and discovery.

In regard to reflecting such issues as the former use or history of the site, there may be some ghosts that need to be appeased. ATZ recommends that NLE and the artists view historian Charles Denson’s video tribute to the Henderson Theater, the recently demolished vaudeville house that occupied the site for a century. How about a visual “tip of the hat” to Harpo Marx, who made his stage debut here as one of “The Four Nightingales” with his brothers Groucho, Lou and Gummo?

Flickr Slide Show: DNALSI YENOC –> CONEY ISLAND

Posted in Photography, Redevelopment, tagged Amy Dreher, Barry Yanowitz, Bruce Handy, Coney Island, DNALSI YENOC, flickr group, Joe Sitt, Lindsay Wengler on April 12, 2011| 2 Comments »

DNALSI YENOC is CONEY ISLAND spelled backwards. The letters frame the view as visitors exit Stillwell Terminal onto Surf Avenue. “After seeing two of my flickr contacts take amazing shots of this within a week, and having taken a photo of it myself, a flickr group was inevitable,” writes photographer Barry Yanowitz, who started the group almost a year ago. Contributors include Coney Island photographers Bruce Handy, Amy Dreher, Lindsay Wengler, agent j loves agent a, and me-myself-i.

In recent months, the favorite view of this flickr group has changed irrevocably due to Thor Equities demolition of the century-old Henderson Building and the Shore Hotel. As I commented on Lindsay Wengler’s latest photo in the pool: The emptiness where Henderson used to be is hard to look at, but I also dread whatever Thor will put there next.

Buried in today’s NY1 interview with Joe Sitt about the Aqueduct flea market that he’s bringing to his lots on Stillwell Avenue was one sentence about his newest empty lot: “This week he will give the site a new start, laying in foundation for a one-story building to use as an indoor amusement and retail space next summer.” Next summer? What about now? No reason was given for the long delay in construction.

As we wrote last week in “Thor’s Coney Island: Building Plans ‘Disapproved’ by DOB” (March 31, 2011), Sitt has yet to break ground because the DOB “DISAPPROVED” the building plans as many as 16 times over the past six months. Sitt also says in the interview that his dream is to build a hotel, but it will take seven years to put in the electricity and the utilities and the infrastructure that’s needed. Sounds like another excuse by the real estate speculator to keep the lot empty. Zamperla managed to build the new Luna Park in just 100 days.

Enjoy the view, both present and past. Here is one of my favorites by photographer Amy Dreher. The Fascination sign, which greeted visitors year round for over 50 years went dark and will never be seen again, except in photos and videos.