Coney Island Community Board Vote Angers City Officials

Courtesy Wesley Rosenblum's Flickr.

The Community Board that oversees Coney Island voted last week to approve 20 amendments to the city's development plans for the area, and the changes are seen by some as suspiciously friendly to controversial developer Joe Sitt. The recommended changes include allowing big box retailers of up to 10,000 square feet in the amusement zone on Surf Avenue, dropping plans to turn the amusement zone over to the parks department, eliminating the threat of eminent domain against Sitt, and removing from consideration the construction of a "Wonder Wheel Way," a proposed central promenade through the amusement district.

The Board's vote is the first step in the public review of Bloomberg's plan to rezone Coney Island for a mixed-use residential, retail, hotel, and amusement park development, part of which would occupy land currently owned by Sitt, whose plans for a bigger, Vegas-style resort were stymied by the city. The developer is now demanding over $200 million from the city for property he bought up in the last few years—about double what he paid for it. The city wants to pay roughly $110 million.

Though the Board's role is purely advisory, their amendments are given due consideration by the City Council, which will vote next on the rezoning plans. Unnamed city officials have gone on the offensive after the vote, insinuating that the Board's resolutions were essentially drafted by Sitt. One city official tells the Post, "Having a for-profit developer write these zoning amendments is the equivalent of having a Big Tobacco lobbyist write anti-smoking legislation." Board member Chuck Reichenthal denied the allegations, telling the Daily News, "I was there when the 20 items were written. The developers were not in the room. They did not stand over us with whips and shovels."

For further reading, the Coney Island Message board has the full list of Community Board amendments, with the city's official response to each one.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on March 16, 2009 9:15 AM

Comments [rss]

NannyState

Why is Joe Sitt still humping his vision of destroying Coney island? No bank on earth would lend him a Shekel for his garbage yet he pulls that board like salt water taffy, preying mindlessly with all the instincts of a shark in a swimming pool.

woodendesigner

It's sad to say but the

Coney Island that everyone knew and loved is now gone. Another sold out piece of property that is going to be developed by an untalented and small minded developer. This city is a shell of what it used to be and most of the development city wide is poorly constructed and poorly designed. Coney Island, I have a feeling, is gone for good.

leftylib

What a bunch of sell outs.

neillevine

City politics tend toward anarchy. Big box stores tend to be organized and pay better. If the City wants to encourage mom and pop stores, the powers that be can always start a micro lending fund to help. neil

fredrick

13. COMMUNITY BOARD RECOMMENDATION:

Replace plans for amusement area stores that would entail only 2,500 square feet of uses. No Big Box stores may be allowed, but there should be an alteration to the plans for stores that are no more than 10,000 square feet of footage in order to draw potential new shop owners.

John Del Signore

Sure, there are plenty of mom & pop retailers who can fill 10,000 square feet.

Politburo

As I read it, that just sets a limit of 10,000 sqft. It does not say that all retail spaces must equal that. However I have no history on this issue so I may be misinterpreting the above language.

schadenfreudian mensch

"The developers were not in the room. They did not stand over us with whips and shovels."

Of course not. They were just in the back room shoveling money into the Board's pockets.