by Robert Yaro, President, RPA
Over the past generation nearly all of New York's iconic places, including Central and Prospect Parks, Times Square and Grand Central Terminal have been reclaimed, reinvented and given new life in our 21st Century metropolis.
One of the last of these as-yet-to-be reclaimed iconic places is Coney Island, the city's now tatty former amusement Mecca. In much of the world even the name Coney Island still connotes roller coaster rides, cotton candy and fun at the seaside. But the reality of the place is that it remains forlorn and all but forgotten, a shadow of its former glory. The vestiges of its glorious past, such as the Parachute Jump and the Cyclone roller coaster ride remain, but the reality of the place is that it is now composed largely of vacant lots and shabby arcades.
Last fall the City's Economic Development Corporation announced a visionary plan to reinvent Coney Island as a regional amusement destination. Inspired by Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens, this initiative would create a new amusement district adjoining Coney Island's Boardwalk. The centerpiece of the City's proposal would be a new park east of KeySpan Park, the new minor league baseball stadium. Through a public-private partnership this park would become an attractively landscaped public space. It would also become the setting for a range of restaurant and amusement venues, including a contemporary version of the old amusement parks, creating a wholesome family entertainment destination for the region. As at Tivoli, these amusements would be designed to add value to the surrounding park. But unlike its Danish counterpart, Coney Island's park would be open to the public without an admission fee. Along Surf Avenue, the creation of a range of complimentary development would be encouraged, including hotels, movie theaters, restaurants and even bowling alleys.
The City's proposal will require a zoning change from the City Planning Commission and City Council and state legislation for a land swap with Thor Equities, a major developer that controls a portion of the site needed for the new plan. Last year Thor proposed high-rise time share apartments and hotels for the site which the City claims would be incompatible with the kind of boisterous entertainment venues that have always been a hallmark of Coney Island.
To succeed, the project will need to preserve the authenticity and diversity of Coney Island's amusements and its visitors and residents. So far, the City's plans for Coney Island remind one of the successful revitalization of Times Square, where the City and its partners took the best of the old Times Square and used it as the basis for a new place. From the sounds of it, the City's plan will keep some of Coney's Island's raffish charms, while building new attractions that will fully capitalize on its stunning beach-front access.
The City's plan acknowledges that there are activities and historical features that need to be retained. The plan also attempts the difficult act of balancing preservation, redevelopment and community goals. Toward this end, some 4,000 to 5,000 new units of housing would be created outside the amusement area, including roughly 900 affordable units.
To obtain approvals before Mayor Bloomberg leaves office, new Deputy Mayor Bob Lieber has made the project one of his top priorities. The City recently retained design consultants EDAW and the Rockwell Group to further detail its plans and is moving ahead aggressively to build public support and move the project forward.
Many of the other building blocks for a world-class entertainment destination are already in place, including one of the world's great urban beaches. Coney Island already has great transit access, now enhanced by the MTA's elegant new Stillwell Avenue subway station, with its vast steel and glass train shed that is reminiscent of a grand European train station. As the city knew well back in the 1940s, the four separate lines terminating in Coney Island are sufficient to deliver a million people there on a weekend if so desired. For that reason, all new development should be built around transit access, and the city should discourage construction of parking.
And in addition to KeySpan Park, the district also includes the New York Aquarium. The Aquarium was dumped in Coney Island half a century ago by Robert Moses, who wished to demolish the Aquarium's former site in Lower Manhattan's Battery Park to make room for his proposed Brooklyn Battery Bridge. When RPA and other groups stopped Moses' bridge project in 1938, the master builder relocated the aquarium anyway, as an act of revenge. The New York Aquarium has never realized its potential to become a major regional destination, similar to its counterparts in Boston, Baltimore and other cities. The Wildlife Conservation Society recently announced some improvements for the Aquarium, but this should be the time to move forward with a more ambitious modernization and expansion program, as part of a larger vision to make all of Coney Island a regional entertainment destination.
Imagine how wonderful it would be to have one of the world's great seaside amusement areas and a beautiful new oceanfront park only a short subway ride away. For the first time in half a century this vision is within our reach. A public Scoping Session will be held on the project's Environmental Impact Statement on Wednesday, February 13 at 6:00 p.m. at Lincoln High School Auditorium, 2800 Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn.
Over the past generation nearly all of New York's iconic places, including Central and Prospect Parks, Times Square and Grand Central Terminal have been reclaimed, reinvented and given new life in our 21st Century metropolis.
One of the last of these as-yet-to-be reclaimed iconic places is Coney Island, the city's now tatty former amusement Mecca. In much of the world even the name Coney Island still connotes roller coaster rides, cotton candy and fun at the seaside. But the reality of the place is that it remains forlorn and all but forgotten, a shadow of its former glory. The vestiges of its glorious past, such as the Parachute Jump and the Cyclone roller coaster ride remain, but the reality of the place is that it is now composed largely of vacant lots and shabby arcades.
Last fall the City's Economic Development Corporation announced a visionary plan to reinvent Coney Island as a regional amusement destination. Inspired by Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens, this initiative would create a new amusement district adjoining Coney Island's Boardwalk. The centerpiece of the City's proposal would be a new park east of KeySpan Park, the new minor league baseball stadium. Through a public-private partnership this park would become an attractively landscaped public space. It would also become the setting for a range of restaurant and amusement venues, including a contemporary version of the old amusement parks, creating a wholesome family entertainment destination for the region. As at Tivoli, these amusements would be designed to add value to the surrounding park. But unlike its Danish counterpart, Coney Island's park would be open to the public without an admission fee. Along Surf Avenue, the creation of a range of complimentary development would be encouraged, including hotels, movie theaters, restaurants and even bowling alleys.
The City's proposal will require a zoning change from the City Planning Commission and City Council and state legislation for a land swap with Thor Equities, a major developer that controls a portion of the site needed for the new plan. Last year Thor proposed high-rise time share apartments and hotels for the site which the City claims would be incompatible with the kind of boisterous entertainment venues that have always been a hallmark of Coney Island.
To succeed, the project will need to preserve the authenticity and diversity of Coney Island's amusements and its visitors and residents. So far, the City's plans for Coney Island remind one of the successful revitalization of Times Square, where the City and its partners took the best of the old Times Square and used it as the basis for a new place. From the sounds of it, the City's plan will keep some of Coney's Island's raffish charms, while building new attractions that will fully capitalize on its stunning beach-front access.
The City's plan acknowledges that there are activities and historical features that need to be retained. The plan also attempts the difficult act of balancing preservation, redevelopment and community goals. Toward this end, some 4,000 to 5,000 new units of housing would be created outside the amusement area, including roughly 900 affordable units.
To obtain approvals before Mayor Bloomberg leaves office, new Deputy Mayor Bob Lieber has made the project one of his top priorities. The City recently retained design consultants EDAW and the Rockwell Group to further detail its plans and is moving ahead aggressively to build public support and move the project forward.
Many of the other building blocks for a world-class entertainment destination are already in place, including one of the world's great urban beaches. Coney Island already has great transit access, now enhanced by the MTA's elegant new Stillwell Avenue subway station, with its vast steel and glass train shed that is reminiscent of a grand European train station. As the city knew well back in the 1940s, the four separate lines terminating in Coney Island are sufficient to deliver a million people there on a weekend if so desired. For that reason, all new development should be built around transit access, and the city should discourage construction of parking.
And in addition to KeySpan Park, the district also includes the New York Aquarium. The Aquarium was dumped in Coney Island half a century ago by Robert Moses, who wished to demolish the Aquarium's former site in Lower Manhattan's Battery Park to make room for his proposed Brooklyn Battery Bridge. When RPA and other groups stopped Moses' bridge project in 1938, the master builder relocated the aquarium anyway, as an act of revenge. The New York Aquarium has never realized its potential to become a major regional destination, similar to its counterparts in Boston, Baltimore and other cities. The Wildlife Conservation Society recently announced some improvements for the Aquarium, but this should be the time to move forward with a more ambitious modernization and expansion program, as part of a larger vision to make all of Coney Island a regional entertainment destination.
Imagine how wonderful it would be to have one of the world's great seaside amusement areas and a beautiful new oceanfront park only a short subway ride away. For the first time in half a century this vision is within our reach. A public Scoping Session will be held on the project's Environmental Impact Statement on Wednesday, February 13 at 6:00 p.m. at Lincoln High School Auditorium, 2800 Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn.
@RegionalPlan
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