Coney Island Hearing Tomorrow!
July 1, Wed, 10 am: City Council Hearing on Coney Island Rezoning
Is a world-famous, iconic amusement destination enjoye by all New Yorkers. But the future of Coney Island is at risk.
Get Informed! Get Involved! Join the Fight!
THE CITY’S PLAN SHRINKS CONEY ISLAND ’S AMUSEMENT DISTRICT
The City’s plan reduces the area reserved for open-air amusements to a narrow 12-acre strip — down from 60 acres currently zoned for amusements. The New York Times calls it “an area that is simply too small to attract enough rides and attractions to bring back the big crowds.”
The fix!
Expand the area devoted to open-air amusements so it reaches, at a minimum, from the Boardwalk to the Bowery.
CONEY ISLAND Is at risk. The City hopes to protect Coney Island from the devastating impacts of land-speculation, but its plan would permanently diminish Coney Island’s historic amusement district and undermine its unique character. To save Coney Island, New Yorkers must ensure that the City fixes its flawed plan.
The City’s Plan cannot fit enough large rides.
Our Proposal could fit a world-class amusement park
“We are concerned that the proposed area set aside for open-air amusements is of insufficient size and that as a result this revitalization effort will not be successful.”
— Municipal Art Society
“The hotels could too easily become a wall,blocking public access to the …ocean.”
— New York Times editorial
The fix!
Move the proposed high-rises north of Surf Avenue, as Coney Island’s Community Board 13 has recommended, or west of Keyspan Park.
The fix!
Remove the proposed high-rise towers from the south side of Surf Avenue, and landmark Coney Island’s historic buildings.
The fix!
The City should zone the amusement district to ensure a greater mix of retail sizes and keep out generic commercial establishments that don’t belong in an amusement area.
“We need to prevent the displacement of existing local businesses and make small spaces available for new, creative entrepreneurs to grow their businesses in Coney Island.”
— Dianna Carlin, Lola Staar Souvenir Boutique and Dreamland Roller Rink
THE CITY’S PLAN RUINS CONE Y ISLAND ’S ICONIC SKYLINE
The plan proposes four highrise hotels of up to 27 stories along the south side of Surf Avenue, blocking visitors from the amusements and the beach, and destroying Coney Island’s sense of openness and seasideatmosphere.
THE CITY’S PLAN THREATEN S CONE Y ISLAND ’S SMALL BUSINESSES.
The proposed zoning would allow chain and generic retail establishments to invade the amusement area and displace the small-scale, locally owned businesses that give Coney Island its creative energy and unique atmosphere.
THE CITY’S PLAN ENDANGERS CONEY ISLAND’S HISTORIC LANDMARKS
Allowing developers to build highrise towers along the south side of Surf Avenue would threaten to destroy Coney Island’s few remaining historic buildings, like Nathan’s Famous and several century-old structures.
“The building containing Nathan’s Famous is located on a potential development site there are no preventative measures to minimize potential demolition or enlargement.”
— Environmental Impact Statement,
NYC Office of Environmental Coordination
The current re-zoning plan, while well intentioned, would do irreparable harm to Coney Island. But with a few critical changes to its plan, the City can save Coney Island’s amusement district. Time is running out. The City Council may vote on the plan as early as July.
Get Informed! Get Involved! Join the Fight!
www.saveconeyisland.net [email protected]
“Coney Island’s future as a world-class tourist destination is being sacrificed. What could have been an economic engine for New York City and the Coney Island community is being smothered by politically motivated, uninspired development.”
— Charles Denson, author, Coney Island: Lost and Found
“If you make it a destination, you should really think big…. That’s not what they’re doing at the moment…. I think there’s a huge danger that this plan won’t work. I think you have to come up with a much larger perspective for the development of Coney Island….and it will be a destination or it could be a destination like the Chrysler Building, like Central Park, if you do it right.”
— Lars Liebst, CEO of Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens
Write a letter to your local politician to keep Coney Island alive and unique!
Copy and paste this sample letter into an email or, better yet, write your own! Printing and mailing an actual, physical letter is the most effective way to get through to your favorite politician, but email is good, too. Make sure to include your name and full address. We’ve include blanks in the letter for this information. Also, MAKE SURE YOU COPY US ([email protected]) if you send an email, or let us know if you send a letter (this helps us put pressure on representatives in specific districts).
Mayor Bloomberg, City Council President Christine Quinn, and your City Council Member.
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
City Hall
New York, NY 10007
Email: http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mayor.html
Christine Quinn
224 West 30th St Suite 1206
New York, NY 10001
Email: [email protected]
Domenic M. Recchia, Jr
District 47 – Council Member
445 Neptune Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11224
Email: [email protected]
Your City Council Member Click here to find your council member’s address. If you don’t know your Council district number, click on the map in the bottom of the right column on this District finder page.
SAMPLE LETTER:
Dear Mayor Bloomberg, Speaker Quinn, Council-member Recchia, and [ENTER THE NAME OF YOUR REPRESENTATIVE]
I am writing to ask you to fix the City’s flawed re-zoning plan for Coney Island. Coney Island is a world-renowned amusement destination and a “People’s Playground” for New Yorkers of all backgrounds and incomes. The future of Coney Island is an issue of citywide importance. Today, however, that future is in jeopardy.
The City’s current rezoning plan for the neighborhood would damage Coney Island’s unique character and undermine its historic function as an amusement destination. It allows high-rise towers of up to 27 stories along the south side of Surf Avenue, walling off pedestrians from the amusement district; and it limits the area reserved for outdoor rides to only a narrow, nine-acre strip of land.
I urge you to fix the plan by making the following changes:
1) Expand the acreage for outdoor rides and amusements. This means, at a minimum, zoning the area from the Boardwalk to the Bowery exclusively for open-air amusements.
2) Remove high-rise towers from the south of Surf Avenue, the heart of the amusement district. Keep high-rises to the north of Surf Avenue or west of Keyspan Park.
3) Promote small businesses and local entrepreneurs and prevent their displacement. Adjust square-footage requirements to ensure that there is room in a re-zoned Coney Island for the locally owned small businesses that give the area its flair.
By fixing its plan, the City can revitalize Coney Island’s historic amusement district, preserving this local treasure as a playground for all New Yorkers, a world-class tourist destination and an economic engine for New York City.
Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
[YOUR ADDRESS + ZIP CODE]