Over the next few weeks, the city Department of Parks and Recreation will
decide who gets to operate Brooklyn’s favorite rickety ride —
the Coney Island Cyclone roller coaster.
But while the Cyclone is obviously an icon of Coney Island, it may soon
become a remnant of its past.
Joseph Sitt, owner of Thor Equities, the development company that operates
the Gallery at Fulton Mall in Downtown Brooklyn and owns over 12 acres
of seaside property in the faded amusement mecca, has visions of a glitzy
boardwalk entertainment strip that looks more Vegas than Astroland.
In digital renderings sent to The Brooklyn Papers this week, a Nike-sponsored
climbing wall takes up one region of a sweeping indoor amusement zone.
A fiberglass elephant gleams upon a double-tiered carousel.
The House of Blues plays ground-floor anchor to another glassy, indoor-entertainment
zone, much like the national chain does at its boardwalk location on the
ground floor of the Showboat Casino in Atlantic City or at Barefoot Landing
on Myrtle Beach in South Carolina.
In describing his vision for the amusement complex to a New York magazine
reporter, Sitt also talked about a 100-foot-tall waterslide in an indoor
water park and reported that he is currently in talks with movie theater
companies Loews and UA/Regal.
So far, Sitt’s vision has generated enthusiasm, albeit that of the
guarded and slightly ambivalent breed, among those whose properties would
be affected.
“I have spoken with Sitt and other interested developers and I am
sure they know that no matter the grandeur of their designs they will
have to retain the feeling — I don’t know how to describe it
— that will allow it to blend to Coney island as it is now,”
said Horace Bullard, a Coney Island property owner and founder of the
Kansas Fried Chicken chain, who at one time planned to rebuild Coney’s
historic Steeplechase Park.
“I’ve read a lot of things, but I guess I am like a lot of people
— I’ll wait and see what happens,” said Cyclone roller
coaster manager Mark Blumenthal, an employee of Astroland for the past
24 years.
Bullard sold the former Washington Baths on West 21st Street and Surf
Avenue, where Sitt plans a condo development, but still owns a vacant,
4-acre tract where a roller coaster once stood. He agrees with Sitt that
all-season attractions like the climbing wall or a giant indoor water
slide would keep true to the resort’s pleasure-zone heritage and
of course, make Coney Island a year-round draw for the city.
“It is an exciting plan, as I am sure many that will be proposed
will be,” he told The Brooklyn Papers.
While Sitt did not offer comment on his company’s plans or wishes
for the Astroland property, he has made no promises to the current operators.
Adding tension to the Cyclone negotiations, a misaligned piece of track
on the 85-foot-tall, wood-and-steel roller coaster sent four riders to
the hospital with whiplash two weeks ago, an accident attributed by the
Astroland operators to old age. The famous ride was shut down during the
Labor Day weekend as a result of the accident.
The low-tech attraction, which is 78 years old, is owned by the Parks
Department and, as stipulated by law, bid out every 10 years. Two weeks
ago, the city closed its bidding period.
The bidding yielded proposals from a number of interested parties —
the number of bids and their content are under wraps until the city makes
its decision — a parks spokesperson said.
Aside from Astroland’s owner, the Albert family which currently operates
the roller coaster, none of the bidders have publicly come forward.
Blumenthal said he had not heard of rival bidders.
“We are getting ready for next year,” he said. “At this
time, there is no indication we are not going to be here.”
Yet, as change wafts, as sure as the scent of a Nathan’s hot dog,
over the boardwalk there are questions about who will take over area leases.
“Landlords are only giving one-year extensions on leases now,”
said Dick Zigun, president of Coney Island USA, the nonprofit community
arts organization that organizes the annual Mermaid Parade on the boardwalk
and Surf Avenue.
This November, the 10-year lease Zigun holds on Coney Island USA’s
current Surf Avenue location will expire and he wants to move to a derelict
bank building at Surf Avenue and West 12th Street that was recently bought
up by Thor Equities.
Coney Island USA has already sent a letter of intent to Sitt and is now
awaiting a response.
“He appreciates what we do,” said Zigun. “He hasn’t
said, yes, but he hasn’t said, no.”
