demolition under the radar | Amusing the Zillion

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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.