The city's 1,000-page Coney Island environmental impact statement sure is full of surprises, isn't it? The Post already mined it for headline-grabbing glory with that whole Nathan's kerfuffle a few weeks back, and now the paper is focusing on the dangerous third rail that is eminent domain. Mayor Bloomberg's administration has insisted that seizing land for the 47-acre rezoning and redevelopment plan isn't in the cards, but there is language in the EIS that says boardwalk land "could be acquired through condemnation, as necessary."
Though city officials still think eminent domain won't be necessary, negotiations between the city and boardwalk/Astroland landlord Thor Equities to buy the land are in a deep freeze, with Thor's Joe Sitt reportedly wanting double the $110 million that the city intends to pay. Meanwhile, the posturing continues, with Sitt allegedly willing to outbid the city for other Coney land, ratcheting up the pressure to cut a deal. Yeesh, after all this, Willets Point is like a cakewalk!
· Coney Island Plan Might Need to Seize Land [NYPost]
· Coney Island Redevelopment coverage [Curbed]
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