New York City | Amusing the Zillion

Posts Tagged ‘New York City’

Thor’s Coney Island: Demolition Under the Radar?

Posted in News, Real Estate, Redevelopment, tagged balloon dart, demolition, Department of Buildings, DOB, New York City, Surf Avenue, Thor Equities on July 1, 2010| 2 Comments »

RIP Win Win Win Big! Big! Prizes, September 12, 2009. Demolished on June 18, 2010. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i

In New York City, especially in Thor’s Coney Island, if you see a building being demolished without a posted permit, say something. Call 311 right away. Don’t dawdle. There appears to be a loophole in the law that allows property owners to get away with demolishing structures whether or not they have a permit, as long as the DOB doesn’t actually catch anyone in the act of demolition. At least that’s what appears to have happened at Thor Equities-owned property at 1124 Surf Avenue and 12th Street in Coney Island on June 18. “NO VIOLATION WARRANTED FOR COMPLAINT AT TIME OF INSPECTION. NO DEMOLITION WORK NOTED AT TIME OF INSPECTION, NO WORK NOTED,” wrote Badge #2425 in his report. What about the fact the buildings were there on June 17? Show us the permit, please.

Demolition in Progress: Surf Ave & 12th Street, Coney Island. June 18, 2010

On Friday, June 18th, around 1 pm, ATZ learned of the demolition of Thor Equities-owned buildings at the corner of Surf and 12th Street, which took place in the early morning hours. By the time a tipster arrived on the scene and sent us the above photo, the former balloon dart game, Pina Colada stand and tattoo parlor were in the dumpster. The DOB inspector turned up later in response to a Coney Island resident’s complaint. But the inspector, who said he was not allowed to give his name, told a bystander that he had to catch them in the act of demolition to issue a violation. The report which is now online on the DOB website corroborates this point.

The inspector also mentioned the building was “not on the map.” What’s that supposed to mean? No demo permit required? The buildings have been there for years! The balloon dart game and pina colada stand hadn’t operated this season since the business owners had gotten the boot from Thor last year. If you have any photos of the operating businesses such as the one posted below, please send along and ATZ will post them under “RIP Win Big! Big! Prizes for the Family!!!”

Photo of the now-demolished Surf Ave balloon dart titled goodnight astroland. September 7, 2008. Photo © brainware3000 via flickr

The demolition was carried out by crews working the graveyard shift at a time when everyone else in Coney Island was getting ready for the big weekend–the first Friday Night Fireworks, Mermaid Parade, Brooklyn Cyclones season opener. A fence went up to secure Thor’s property. Now it’s an empty lot to add to Thor’s collection of empty lots. On the Coney Island Message Board, Capt Nemo called it “Sitt-struction begins, there yesterday gone today” and posted before and after photos.

Before the Demolition: Win Big! Big! June 12, 2010. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i

Six Days Before the Demolition: Win Big! Big! It looked like a Rehab! June 12, 2010. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i

Some of you may look at the photos and agree with the poster on the CIUSA board thread who wrote sarcastically, “Maybe that gorgeous structure should have been landmarked. It looked like a dump I always thought. Looks better as a lot frankly, c’mon seriously?” Our response would be you’re missing the point. Letting a property owner get away with demolishing a structure without a permit sets a bad precedent. What’s next on Thor’s hit list? The doomed Bank of Coney Island adjacent to the newly empty lot, where pre-demolition asbestos abatement is in progress? In fact the early morning demolition of the concession stands reminds us of Rudy Giuliani’s early morning bulldozing of Horace Bullard’s Thunderbolt roller coaster in 2000, which ended up in court.

No one has suggested these concession stands should be landmarked. We’re sad to see another vestige of Coney Island’s vernacular signage and old school carnival games bite the dust. As someone who grew up working behind the counter of our family’s carnival games, we see a stand that was a fellow concessionaire’s business. Today he is driving a cab. One of our favorite photos of his vanished balloon dart is titled “goodbye astroland” (posted above) because the photographer shot it on Astroland’s last day in 2008. But for the operator of this game and other individual operators in Coney Island evicted by Thor Equities, a more apt title would be “Goodbye Amusement Business.” While Coney Island’s revitalized amusement area is booming, Thor Equities property is kept vacant. Last July, the Surf Avenue site owned by Thor Equities was rezoned for a 30-story hotel.

Here is a copy of the DOB’s complaint report for your reading displeasure…

NYC Department of Buildings
Overview for Complaint #:3345602 = RESOLVED
Complaint at: 1124 SURF AVENUE BIN: 3245151 Borough: BROOKLYN ZIP: 11224
Re: DANGEROUS DEMO CONST W/O PERMIT POSTED;

Category Code: 12 DEMOLITION-UNSAFE/ILLEGAL/MECHANICAL DEMO

DOB District: N/A
Special District: CI – CONEY ISLAND

Assigned To: BEST SQUAD Priority: A
Received: 06/18/2010 14:36 Block: 8696 Lot: 37 Community Board: 313
Owner: WEISS SURF AVENUE,LL

Last Inspection: 06/18/2010 – – BY BADGE # 2425
Disposition: 06/18/2010 – – I2 – NO VIOLATION WARRANTED FOR COMPLAINT AT TIME OF INSPECTION
Job Number:
Comments: NO DEMOLITION WORK NOTED AT TIME OF INSPECTION, NO WORK NOTED

What the block looked like before demolition: Thor Equities property on Surf Avenue between Jones Walk & 12th Street. Photo © Jim McDonnell

Coney Island Fireworks Show: Every Friday Plus 5 Saturdays

Posted in Events, tagged 2010, 2011, Boardwalk, Brooklyn, Coney Island, fireworks, free event, Friday night, New York City, Saturday on June 17, 2010| 11 Comments »

Door of the Grill House: Free Fireworks 9:30 Friday Night. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i

UPDATE June 4, 2013: For 2013 Fireworks Schedule see “Coney Island Fireworks 2013: Fridays, 6 Saturdays and More…” The first Friday night fireworks show of Coney Island’s 2013 season will be on June 21 and this free weekly event continues every Friday through August 30.

UPDATE…May 25, 2011… Coney Island’s tradition of Friday night fireworks begins for the 2011 season on June 17 and continues through September 2. The pyrotechnic extravaganza starts at 9:30 pm. Best viewing is from the Boardwalk or the Wonder Wheel. Please patronize the main sponsors of the fireworks: Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park; Luna Park, Scream Zone and the Cyclone; and the Brooklyn Cyclones baseball team. In addition, the Brooklyn Cyclones have scheduled fireworks on the following five Saturdays after their home games as well as on one Wednesday and Sunday night:

Saturday, June 18th – OPENING DAY – vs. Staten Island
Saturday, June 25th – vs. Hudson Valley
Wednesday, June 29th – END OF SCHOOL SPECTACULAR – vs. Hudson Valley
Sunday, July 3rd – HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA – vs. Staten Island
Saturday, July 16th – Lowell
Saturday, August 6th – vs. Staten Island
Saturday, August 20th – DSNY APPRECIATION NIGHT – vs. Tri-City

When the weather is iffy, check the Coney Island tweeters on Coney Island Fun’s list for updates here.

* * *

Coney Island’s first fireworks show of the 2010 season is this Friday, June 18th. On the eve of the Mermaid Parade! The free shows continue every Friday through September 3 and begin at approximately 9:30 pm. Best viewing is from the Boardwalk or the Wonder Wheel. Please patronize the main sponsors of the fireworks: Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park, the Cyclone Roller Coaster, Luna Park and the Brooklyn Cyclones baseball team.

The Brooklyn Cyclones also sponsor free post-game fireworks on Saturday nights when they play a home game. Saturday night fireworks in Coney Island are scheduled for July 3, July 10, July 31, August 7 and September 4, 2010

UPDATE June 19 Fireworks!!

This weekend is going to be a double header as far as fireworks: Walking by MCU Park on the way to the circus, we passed by the Brooklyn Cyclones banner advertising the fireworks and just realized there’s a show on Saturday, June 19! Catch the fireworks after the Brooklyn Cyclones opening game of the season or the Mermaid Parade and Ball. Either way, Saturday is going to be an even more eventful day than we thought.

Scoop: Zamperla’s $24M Coney Island Park to be Named Luna Park!

Posted in amusement park, News, tagged Alberto Zamperla, Brooklyn, Coney Island, Luna Park, New York City, Redevelopment, Zamperla on January 26, 2010| 5 Comments »

Luna Park at Night. Coney Island History Project Collection

In a Jan 23 interview with his hometown newspaper, Zamperla President and CEO Alberto Zamperla revealed the previously undisclosed name and numbers of his soon-to-be built amusement park in Coney Island. “The park will be called, Luna Park, like the first, the only, the inimitable one, the one created by Frederic Thompson and Elmer ‘Skip’ Dundy,” according to an article in the Italian newspaper Il Giornale di Vicenza.

The original Luna Park (1903-1946), one of Coney Island’s four historic amusement parks, inspired Luna Parks throughout the country and round the world. In many countries, including Italy, “Luna Park” is a generic term for amusement park. The article mentions bringing a smile back to the lips of Manhattan director Woody Allen and millions of Americans who return to play in the real and only Luna Park.

Now for the numbers: “For the first season we have estimated the presence of 400 thousand visitors and we are confident it will grow in the future,” Zamperla told the paper. “In terms of investment, we are talking about $24 million over three years. For us it is a great satisfaction as well as a great opportunity.”

The CEO said he was flying to New York the next day and characterized the next few months as “a race against time.” The amusement operator has only six weeks from the site turnover date of April 15 until the park’s opening on Memorial Day weekend to produce the new rides and assemble the new park.

Last week NY1 leaked the news that the City had selected Zamperla USA to be the new amusement park operator for Coney Island. The news is absolutely thrilling, though not at all surprising, to those of us who work in Coney. Zamperla was considered the front runner because they operate Victorian Gardens for the City and the CEO of Zamperla USA joined the CIDC’s Amusement Advisory Board in March 2009. We look forward to the official press conference where Zamperla unveils their designs and ride line-up for the future Luna Park. An announcement is expected as early as this week. But we can’t wait any longer to say Congratulazioni a Zamperla! Welcome to Coney Island!