AstroLand Park, Coney Island
In case you’re not up on Mayor Bloomberg‘s re-“vision”ing of Coney Island, here are some sites with the most up to date information.
Okay, this one is not really Mayor Mike’s “plan,” as so many others are where he’s behind the curtain pulling the strings, like Washington Square Park. But we know he’s engaged because it involves destroying the collective memory and history of a beloved place in New York City. That’s our Mayor’s specialty.
What the city hasn’t done (intervened properly) in this instance is as telling as what they have done. However, city officials are available for photo ops. See yesterday’s entry from Curbed about the Astroland Rocket. Here’s an excerpt (which, of course, made me laugh):
A little while ago we had news that one of our obsessions, the
iconic Astroland Rocket, had been donated to the city and would remain in Coney Island. We now have more details from the city, where a full cast of characters, including City Planning Director Amanda Burden and Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Robert Lieber showed up for the announcement and photo op. First the good news: the iconic Rocket isn’t going to Pakistan. Now the bad news: Sources tell us it’s leaving tonight for shipment to Staten Island, where it will remain until it comes back as part of the amusement park the city wants to build. Not to be the skunk that wanders into the Garden Party, but In practical terms, this means it could be a loooooooong time before it returns to Coney Island.
* To see some great photos of Coney Island in its hey day and now, check out the new Coney Island blog.
* And for an overview of what’s happened thus far – the big player in this drama is a corporation called Thor Equities which bought up a lot of the land and put For Rent signs up on the businesses on the boardwalk and main drag right around Christmas last year which broke many people’s hearts – visit the Save Coney Island site.
* And here is Gowanus Lounge‘s analysis from earlier this month on the “disgraceful state of Coney Island.”
Washington Square Park Blog 