Workers Scramble to Finish Luna Park, Sitt Talks Coney Island

We're told that Luna Park, the new Coney Island amusement park on the former Astroland site that's now owned by the city, will be opening this weekend as planned. Workers have been laboring around the clock to finish the park, which features 19 new rides, including a spinning roller coaster called The Tickler, a "Wild River" ride inspired by the original Luna Park ride Shoot the Chutes, a ride called Surf's Up which buffets riders with simulated winds, and Air Race, which will have riders "doing corkscrews in jets." Here are some photos taken on Tuesday, and it looks like they're really cutting it close on this one.

Meanwhile, developer Joe Sitt, who sold the property to the city but still owns a huge chunk of Coney Island, gave an exclusive interview to NY1 the other day. He talked about his plans to tear down many of the old buildings on Surf Avenue and build two big hotels and an indoor water park. Coney Island preservationists have been trying to save some of the buildings Sitt wants to demolish—such as the gorgeous 1923 bank building. But Sitt says, "Every one of these buildings is just horrible, rundown relics with nothing exciting about them. I hate to say it, but the great buildings of Coney Island disappeared 80 years ago."

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By John Del Signore in Arts and Events on May 27, 2010 1:07 PM

Comments [rss]

Hoover

But will they have the Breakdance?

xgeyiph772

Other rides include The (Inapropriate) Tickler, aka the "Erica Massa" ride; a "Wild River" ride inspired by a broken water main on Stillwell Ave, and "Shoot the Pedestrian", a ride where people dodge bullets from nearby housing projects.

Kitty Graves

way to have an optimistic outlook on one of the only good things happening in Coney Island these days.

Wza

I agree with Kitty.

I can't stand that douche.

Kitty Graves

word

FelixtheCat & Christine Quinn'

Sitt has a history of destroying neighbothoods. Just ask San Francisco residents on Union Street. Sitt demolishes everything and won't built anything unless the city continues to subsidize him by building infrastrcture for hidd luxury condos and time shares. Thanks Christine Quin, Marty markowitz and dominic recchia. RIP Jane Jacobs.

Kitty Graves

Ask Albee Square folks, too!

Kitty Graves

Joe Sitt has absolutely no interest in anything nostalgic. His bottom line is profit and if he had any vested emotional interest in Coney Island, the way he swore up and down to the media he did prior to settling on a deal w/ the city, he'd incorporate that interest in his plans to demolish Coney Island history. The bank building is FAR from horrible. It certainly needs a hell of a lot of work both aesthetically and strucutrally (Hello, it's from 1923!) but the possibilities are endless if it were to be restored.