The Twilight of Astroland

Photograph by brainware3000 on Flickr

Astroland closed its doors yesterday, and its owner, Carol Albert, says it's for good. She told the Daily News, "I want to make it clear that despite rumors to the contrary, there are absolutely no negotiations going on."

The fate of Astroland has been on a Cyclone-like roller coaster ride over the past few years ever since Thor Equities bought the Coney Island amusement park, with an eye on transforming the stretch with new commercial and residential developments. Thor (which wasn't thrilled with Albert's proclamations to the media) issued a statement saying, "With Astroland's closure a possibility for some time, Thor Equities has been in touch with numerous amusement operators who share our vision of beginning the revitalization of Coney Island even before a rezoning is passed that would allow for a permanent year-round redevelopment."

Albert is selling off parts of Astroland (the Cyclone and Wonder Wheel are city landmarks, so they are staying). Both visitors and workers are going to miss the park--WNYC spoke to Knejulanna King, who paid tribute to the rides she operated:

Nine-year-old Anthony Messiana confessed to the News, "Only when something really, really bad happens, do I cry. When they start to tear down Astroland I'm gonna cry like crazy," and 7-year-old Eliya Ahmad said to amNY, “Next time I see a star, I’m going to wish that it’s not going to happen.” Even some adults remain hopeful: The Staten Island Advance printed an editorial today, "We refuse to give up hope that, come next summer, one of the city's most familiar and beloved attractions will reopen just as it has done for the last half-century."

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By Jen Chung in News on September 8, 2008 10:30 PM

Comments [rss]

ed_Extinct

the city should have stepped in and land marked this treasure.

WorksInDUMBO

What a lovely and sad photo!

spnder

As stated above, Wonder Wheel is in Deno's...

The worst thing I saw yesterday were a bunch of kids walking around with brand new "summer of hope" shirts over their shoulders. What a fitting freebie to be giving out on the last day of Astroland.

sharpshoota

Luxury condos. That's what this is.... more granite counters and marble baths that most of us can't afford.

mrguy

buildings go up, buildings go down, things outlive their usefulness and beauty; it's the nature of the city. the astroland of today is not even the same astroland as existed ten, twenty, thirty, or forty years ago. besides for a nostalgia-inducing name and some low-rent carnival games and rides, what is it really? there will still be amusements on coney island (not to mention the two iconic features, the wonderwheel and the Cyclone), they'll just be called something else now. let's shed the obligatory tear and move on.

coney fan

Personally I like the 1950s looking little balloon dart in the photo, but it is definitely NOT in Astroland. It is an independently owned game on Surf Ave near 12th St. Will probably be back next year, too. I guess my point is it's just the sort of stand that inspires people who support the city's revised plan to call Coney Island (and Astroland, by mistake) "rundown." The irony is we're never gonna see a new, improved Coney as depicted in the CIDC's fantastical renderings. We're gonna see empty lots, followed by Brighton Beach 2

Why can't the press and the bloggers and the photographers at least keep straight what is Astroland and what is the rest of Coney Island? The Wonder wheel is not and never was part of Astroland. It's in Deno's Wonder Wheel Park, which will be back next year, along with the independent rides on 12th Street, the sideshow, the museum, th4 Eldorado Bumper cars. And yes the city owned Cyclone and the Coney Island History Project. See ya next season!

XxSuntoucherxX

In an @ss backward way I wonder if it was completely necessary to sell out to the "man" in the first place. I'm having a really difficult time believing that when they sold it to the demon developers, that there wasn't a provision in there somewhere to protect it. (Where's the "Landmark" commission now? Probably out saving a tree in Staten Island...)

Billiamsburg

This is a shame. I don't normally feel bad when say, the local hair salon of 50 years has to shut down for the condos but when we start destroying landmarks it's kinda shitty. I can see it now: 10 years from now and the statue of liberty will be surrounded by condos. Can't decide between Manhattan and Brooklyn? Don't! Get one of the glass condos built in the arches of the Brooklyn Bridge. Fantastic new development going up in Empire State Building Gardens, once we get that giant building out of the way.