The Coney Island thing gets curiouser and curiouser. Today's Post carries a story about how developer Joe Sitt is negotiating with eccentric land owner Horace Bullard to buy a big piece of empty land he own next to KeySpan Park. Interesting, because Mr. Sitt has often used the Post to try to publicly force the city's hand and it could be a scare tactic to get the city to cough up more taxpayer money for land it is negotiating to sell to the city. Sitt wants $200M-$250M for land for which he paid about $40 million. Mr. Bullard meanwhile is complaining the city isn't offering him enough money. In the meantime, Coney Island itself has taken on the look of a disaster zone, with FOR LEASE signs said to have been custom made at a cost of $50K by Mr. Sitt to fit each building and No Trespassing signs tacked up before New Year's Eve on businesses and even on collapsing fences. Businesses are negotiating for new leases but owners says that Thor Equities is asking double and triple last year's rent. Astroland, meanwhile, is still being deconstructed and many of the people around this weekend seemed there as "disaster tourists" taking photos of the devastation.
· Coney Boss Eyes More Land [NYP]
· The Disgraceful State of Coney Island [Gowanus Lounge]
· Coney Island Redevelopment Coverage [Curbed]
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