Don't look now, but that little $2 billion Coney Island redevelopment plan seems to be attracting some opposition. Of course, last week we had the developer taking his problems public and suggesting that questions we being raised by "folks at the junior-most levels of government," by which we think he might have meant Planning Director Amanda Burden. Then, an e-mail started making the rounds about a "No Condos in Coney Protest Party" that "will be hosted by some of New York's most colorful burlesque performers!!" Now, the group is online as "Save Coney Island" with a a myspace page. A sample:
Thor Equities, the developers who have bought most of Brooklyn's legendary Coney Island, are attempting build luxury high rise condo buildings right in the heart of our Amusement District. They are trying to bully the City of NYC into rezoning the Amusement District to allow them to build these exclusive high rise condos on the boardwalk. Thor Equities is silencing the Coney Island business community so that they cannot speak out about this redevelopment. They are threatening the City with the blight of vacant land and evicted businesses. These hardball negotiating tactics are just the beginning of what is to be a vicious war over the rezoning of Coney Island.Oh, and someone has started a "Save Coney Island" online petition. More to come.
· Save Coney Island [myspace]
· Save Coney Island: The Party Begins [Brit in Brooklyn]
· Coney Island #2: Thor Boss Says Haters Just Don't Get It [Curbed]