It seems like there's a new Coney Island redevelopment proposal every week, which makes it really hard to figure out what this place is going to look like in 10 years, besides neon. We've seen v2.1, Thor Equities' overall scheme for the entirity of their holdings at Coney, and we've also dabbled in smaller-player Taconic Investment Partners' plans. Let's call this latest, reported in the Daily News, Thor v2.1a, because it fleshes out specifically what Thor wants to do with Astroland, and Astroland only.
Coney Island Park would open in 2011, with twice the space of the original Astroland. It would include 21 rides, a hotel, a manmade canal for boat rides, a glass-encased atrium and commercial space. We've already mentioned the Leviathan, a coaster that would dip under the boardwalk and replace the Cyclone as the flagship ride, and joining those would be the Aviator, a 120-foot ride with gondolas guided individually by hand-held joysticks(!). The six-acre design is being drawn up by ThinkWell Design & Production. For instant analysis, we turn to Coney Island blog Kinetic Carnival, where there's some measured enthusiasm: "With this new report Thor seems to have gained many points to their side. Let's hope Thor and company keep the promise and integrity of the importance of the amusements in Coney." Agreed.
· B'klyn fun park, by power of Thor [NYDN]
· Welcome To The New CONEY ISLAND PARK [Kinetic Carnival]
· Coney Island Landmark Lives to Serve Another Meal [Curbed]
· Here's Coney Island v. 2.1 [Curbed]