Filling the void between the city's agreement with Joe Sitt to acquire seven acres of Coney Island and the opening of the city's temporary amusement park there this summer, a few former Coney Island carnies are weighing in with suggestions:
1) The old Feltman's building (right) on the Astroland site is scheduled for demolition. But before we all say RIP, Coney Island blog Amusing the Zillion is looking for reasons to stand in front of the bulldozer. And it thinks it's found one: Nathan Handwerker, founder of Nathan's Famous, slept on the floor there while working as a hot dog roll slicer/delivery boy. Amusing the Zillion asks: "The floor looks so old it's easy to imagine the original hot dog falling on it....Shouldn't the City be renovating Feltman's Kitchen as a little museum and hot dog stand instead of tearing it down?" Maybe, as long as no one's planning to use the five-second rule.
2) Meanwhile, longtime Coney carny John Strong wants in on this summer's Astroland replacement. Strong proposes an "Oddity Museum" for the entrance of the former Astroland site, at which he will reprise his traditional John Strong show. And, he reminds the city, he can bring the new Coney positive media exposure, as he did last year "when he attempted to buy a 5-legged dog," an effort that led to a court case.
· Nathan Slept Here! Coney Island's Feltman's Kitchen Set for Demolition [Amusing the Zillion]
· Coney Island Proposal [John Strong Shows]
· Coney Island coverage [Curbed]
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