rally | Amusing the Zillion

Posts Tagged ‘rally’

June 26: Coney Island Joins Protest Against Offshore Oil Drilling

Posted in Events, News, tagged BP oil spill, Coney Island, Hands Across the Sand, offshore drilling, protest, rally on June 23, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Mermaids carrying signs that said “Oil Makes My Scales Fall Off!” were among the dozens of BP oil spill-themed groups in Saturday’s Mermaid Parade. This Saturday at 11 am, New Yorkers will have a chance to join “Hands Across the Sand” on Coney Island’s Beach in an international protest against offshore drilling. According to a map on the group’s website, the event is being held on June 26 in all 50 states and 20 countries. Participants will gather at 11 am and join hands at 12 noon in their local time zones.

A statement on Hands Across the Sand NYC’s Facebook page says: “In the wake of the catastrophic BP OIL SPILL that has devastated the Gulf of Mexico and put the entire North Atlantic Ocean at risk: JOIN thousands around the world and draw OUR line in the sand: NO to OFFSHORE DRILLING/YES to CLEAN ENERGY.”

Hands Across the Sand began in February in Seaside, Florida, with a chain of people standing hand in hand on the beach to symbolize a wall of opposition to offshore drilling in Florida. The BP oil spill spurred the creation of Saturday’s worldwide event. Hands Across the Sand on Coney Island’s beach is one of 645 events being held in the U.S. on June 26.

Mermaid Parade 2010: Oil Makes My Scales Fall Off! Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i

Mermaid Parade 2010: Oil Makes My Scales Fall Off! June 19, 2010. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i

Read Full Post »

May 12: Citywide Rally for Landmarks Preservation at City Hall

Posted in historic preservation, tagged City Hall, Historic Districts Council, landmark district, Landmarks Preservation Commission, rally, Save Coney Island on May 11, 2010| 2 Comments »

copywm176 (3)

Call to Action: Rally for Preservation on Wednesday, May 12

WHEN: Wednesday, May 12th at 10am SHARP

WHERE: City Hall Steps – 4,5,6, N or R Trains to City Hall

Tomorrow morning, Save Coney Island joins the Historic Districts Council and other preservation groups at a citywide rally at City Hall.

“Save Coney Island believes this summer should be about REVITALIZATION (with the opening of the new Luna Park) and PRESERVATION – NOT about “DEMOLITION,” said an e-mail from the grass-roots group. “Please join us. This will be a perfect opportunity to put Coney Island’s preservation battle in the citywide spotlight. We need you to make your voice heard.”

ATZ is sorry that rumors of Joe Sitt’s plans to demolish historic buildings which we reported in “Thor’s Coney Island: Tattered Tents, Deathwatch for Historic Buildings” (ATZ, April 21, 2010) have turned out to be true. On May 3, Thor Equities spokes-tool Loren Riegelhaupt told the Brooklyn Paper: “This summer is going to be about the demolition.” The reference is to the planned demo of four historic buildings in Coney Island owned by Joe Sitt.

Shore Hotel Nature's Paradise by the Sea. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Shore Hotel Nature's Paradise by the Sea. April 26, 2009. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

The endangered buildings are the Grashorn, Coney Island’s oldest; the former Bank of Coney Island; the Henderson Building; and the Shore Hotel. The Grashorn and Henderson were nominated for landmark designation by Coney Island USA and all four buildings would be part of an historic district proposed by Save Coney Island. Stefan Friedman, another Thor spokes-tool, told the paper: “These buildings were thoroughly reviewed by the city [before] last year’s rezoning and determined to have no significant historic value whatsoever. Some of these buildings are asbestos-infested ramshackle buildings that pose a very real risk to the local community.”

We’ll counter Thor’s disinformation campaign by referring you to “Destined for Demolition? Historic Buildings Owned By Thor Equities” in the right column of our blog for articles by the Municipal Art Society, Vanishing New York and ATZ on the four buildings in question and Save Coney’s list of historic landmarks. As for Thor’s empty lots, check out “Thor’s Coney Island: What Stillwell Looked Like Before Joe Sitt”

The Historic Districts Council is hosting the rally…

We will be having speakers from neighborhoods across the city talking about their efforts and giving voice to the fact that people want preservation. For the past four years, HDC has helped organize a preservation day at City Hall that dozens of neighborhood preservationists have attended to show the strength of the preservation community. Through our efforts, the Landmarks Preservation Commission has grown in staff and has designated more properties in all five boroughs than ever – they designated more properties in 2008 than they had in any year since 1990. This record of accomplishment needs to continue; dozens of historic neighborhoods throughout New York City are still unprotected and prey to tear-downs and unregulated development. If we’ve learned one thing in 45 years of preservation practice in New York, it’s that landmark protection is good for the city. Without landmark protection, SoHo and Tribeca wouldn’t exist, the theater district would be an office park and Brooklyn Heights would be filled with high-rises. But as much as the LPC has accomplished, there’s still much more to do.

Coney Island’s Shore Theater and Coney Island USA’s Building (the former Childs Restaurant on Surf Avenue) are being considered for landmark designation by the LPC.

Thor-owned Henderson Building Being Cleaned Out, May 8, 2010. Photo © Capt. Nemo/Magical Theme Parks

Tall, Skinny & Destined to Kill Coney Island: High Rises on South Side of Surf

Posted in News, Redevelopment, tagged Brooklyn, Coney Island, high rises, rally, rezoning, Save Coney Island, World Famous Bob on July 27, 2009| Leave a Comment »

I’ve never had anything against tall skinny buildings. I’ve always thought Manhattan was beautiful. But in Brooklyn I just thought they’d like to keep it short and wide and that’s why I live here.

–Burlesque artist World Famous BOB, emceeing Sunday’s Last Chance to Save Island Rally.

The Burlesque at the Beach bombshell held up “Before” and “After” renderings to show the folly of the City’s rezoning plan. The plan would allow high-rises of up to 27 stories along the south side of Surf Avenue, walling off and casting shadows across the world famous seaside amusement district.

BOB urged New Yorkers to call their City Council members before the full Council votes on the plan this Wednesday. “I am a huge fan not only of Brooklyn, but specifically of Coney Island,” said the New York Burlesque Festival’s “Most Inspiring” performer. “There’s no better way I would personally like to spend a Sunday afternoon than with a bunch of people who not only love Coney Island but love it enough to actually came down here and request that it get saved.” If you missed the rally, here’s how you can request that it get saved.

ATZ will dutifully phone our Council member a third time. But we would feel more confident about the outcome of Wednesday’s Council meeting if the World Famous BOB were City Council Speaker instead of Bloomberg’s henchwoman Christine Quinn! Last week Coney Island’s Councilman Domenic Recchia said in a statement posted on his blog, “I know that there are those who would like to see lower buildings on the south side of Surf Avenue. We just couldn’t make this work and will be moving forward with project that you see today.”

On the plus side, the Councilman’s post mentioned discussions with the administration about expanding the area for outdoor amusements. “I hope that by the time the entire City Council votes on this plan, on July 29th, I will have great news for everyone.” We’re sitting on the edge of our seats till then, when presumably we’ll find out what kind of deal the City is currently cutting with real estate speculator Thor Equities behind closed doors.

Speakers at the Last Chance to Save Coney rally also included Juan Rivero of Save Coney Island, Mermaid Parade founder and Coney Island’s permanently unelected “Mayor” Dick Zigun, “Coney Island: Lost & Found” author and historian Charles Denson, Cyclone roller coaster operator and former Astroland owner Carol Hill Albert, Miss Cyclone Angie Pontani, Lola Staar Souvenir Boutique owner Dianna Carlin, activist and author Kevin Powell, Green Party mayoral candidate Rev. Billy Talen and musician Amos Wengler singing his anthem “Save Coney Island.”

Last Chance to Save Coney Island Rally, Brooklyn Borough Hall. Photo © jane_jacobs_saves_coney via flickr

Mayoral candidate Rev Billy Talen Speaking at Last Chance to Save Coney Island Rally, Brooklyn Borough Hall. Photo © Robert & Robbie Bailey via jane_jacobs_saves_coney flickr