The soap opera known as Coney Island redevelopment took a major, and interesting, turn last night as developer Joe Sitt spent two hours in a church on Mermaid Avenue making his pitch to the community and reporters. Headline Number One: Mr. Sitt has been stung by negative coverage, including the fact that "the blogs went against us" and that he's been feeling "a little beaten down." Headline Number Two: The developer says that he doesn't want to build in Coney Island without "support." Specifically:
Unless we see support from this whole community--whether it's the community that lives here in Coney Island or the community that operates rides...and you know what, to some degree even the blogs, you know what, respectfully, I don't know if I want to build Coney Island.The developer said he "hopes for a green light within 12-18 months of today to get going."
· Sitt Speaks in Coney & Says He Doesn't Want to Build Without "Support" [GL]
· Developer Joe Sitt Speaks in Coney Island: The Video [GL]
· Joe Sitt Seeks Community Approval at Town Hall Meeting [Kinetic Carnival]