Gothamist: Coney Island Astroland to Close for Good Sunday

Buck Owens

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:29:53 -0500

Coney Island is a thoroughly depressing place. I would not want to waste my time weeping for the loss of anything there.

bongobillir

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 08:34:34 -0500

I grew up at Coney Island in the 1950's I have seen changes since then. When they took Steepchase down and left an weed empty lot in its place and coney island came back. The real symbol of the amusement area is the Wonderwheel,Parachute Jump(12 beautiful parachute floating down all at once) and the Cyclone Rollercoaster. It was first Ward's Playland before Astroland and give it some time it maybe Better than you can imagine.

Antonio

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 20:37:24 -0500

baileyphoto Thanks for posting those pics. They're wonderful.

wowthatsucks

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:30:14 -0500

wow, i wish someone would force me to take $30M.

baileyphoto

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:34:41 -0500

I honestly don't know what's going to be best for Coney Island. I do know that the thought of losing Astroland makes my sentimental heart ache with sadness. My greatest concern is for those who work there. Here's a look at some of their faces... http://homepage.mac.com/baileyphoto/Sites/Astroland/index.html

robingee

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:17:23 -0500

I hope Burgerman and Burgergirl go into a museum.

Future Taliban

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 03:50:00 -0500

And to think Saddam's WMD's were right there on the roof all along.

bornbrednewyorker

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:21:08 -0500

suepart Apologists? More like realists. I guess you can't comprehend how big city politics works... Being forced to sell or face eminent domain happens all the time in this city.

Toby von Meistersinger

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 20:43:58 -0500

The default position with this sort of thing is the developer is an evil bastard, but in this case money has already changed hands. Everyone else is the big loser here.

suepart

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 20:20:01 -0500

yeah right, nothing is cut and dry except the blood money of 30 million. apologists and naysayers will rant and rave, but the truth is, someone (in this case carol albert) took the money. she is as much the one at fault here for destroying astroland and by extension the last remnants of coney island.

bornbrednewyorker

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 20:03:00 -0500

Coneyisland.com bulletin board has Carol Albert's statement. There's also a post where some insider said that the city basically forced Carol Albert to sell her property since she could not adhere to making it a year round attraction. She's in her 70's and her kids apparently don't want to run an amusement park. Some of you should seek out facts and realize how much pressure the city and developers who are always in bed together put on the remaining mom and pops in this city. This happens all the time, if she tries to fight it, the city can invoke eminent domain and she and her family get nothing. Don't be so naive people. Nothing is cut and dry.

Spiritof76

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:06:30 -0500

I wouldn't put it past Thor to build a new coaster to compete with the Cyclone just out of spite.

spnder

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:30:43 -0500

The point isn't what you like or don't like at Coney. Imagine how it's going to look all ripped up like the go-carts and batting cages were. This is really tragic and just another nail in the coffin. You can't save coney if there's nothing left to save.

ides_of_march

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:16:28 -0500

The old Penn Station, Yankee Stadium, Coney Island... ..if Notre Dame Cathedral were built in New York it would be a parking lot or condos now.

DaleyGrind

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:23:33 -0500

I agree with upperwestsidegirl but I hate to hear the news just the same.

arsguide

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:18:07 -0500

UWS girl is right - Carol Albert willingly sold the property...I've got no sympathy for her, in fact I agree with the broker she's trying to force their hand by threatening to not come back if they don't get a deal by some arbritary date she's made up. I like the Cyclone, Bump your ass off bumper cars and the shiska-bob place down by the stadium, the rest of it close for all I care.

upperwestsidegirl

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:12:01 -0500

I have to say I feel less bad knowing that she sold the underlying property for so much damn money. It's not really the "poor business owner being driven out by the landlord" thing when she's got $30 million in her pocket. She chose to give up control of the property and now she has lost it. It's a shame for the city but it seems like another sentimental landmark is being destroyed by a fight between property owners. UGH.

mrguy

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:03:10 -0500

the wonderwheel and the cyclone are staying- that's good. i'm not going to weep for the loss of some carnival rides and games. it's historic, yes, but it's not like they're tearing down the statue of liberty.

pauloc

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:00:03 -0500

I kinda shot an ode to astroland. Music courtesy of my little brother. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCZ3S0jeEAM RIP Guy on roof next to rocketship.

robingee

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:57:22 -0500

Oh boy new sucky amusements. Just like every place else. Terrific.

edEx

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:47:39 -0500

The city needs to landmark this... I cannot believe another national treasure will be torn down in the name of greed.

EricGewiz

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:47:14 -0500

If that holds, that's uterly depressing. RIP Astroland.