coney-amphitheater-05-2008.jpg
Move over, Jones Beach! City funding to the tune of $36 million has been secured for a 10-acre makeover of Coney Island’s Asser Levy Park that will result in the construction of a “world-class” amphitheater, according to Sheepshead Bay News. The development will run between Sea Breeze Avenue to the north, Surf Avenue to the south and West 5th Street to the west. The formal review process for the project is supposed to start sometime this year, and officials are looking to break ground by August 2009 and possibly be finished with it by summer 2011. English architecture firm Grimshaw, which designed the new Cemusa bus shelters, will be the architect for the amphitheater.
‘Designs’ on Asser Levy Makeover [Sheepshead Bay News]
An Amphitheater for Coney Island? [Brownstoner]
Bandshell photo by Lisanne!.


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

  1. I think this is a big mistake. Leave this park alone. I’ve lived across the street from this park, on Seabreeze Avenue, my whole life. Not only does this park have deep sentimental roots in my heart and memories, this park is the only “grass” park in our area – it was in this park that I took my first steps, said my first words, dug my first worm out of the dirt. I am, and have been, in this park at least once a day, every day of my life (42 years). I remember there was a little green wooden “stage” set in the grass of the big field (this was near the playgound’s “adult” swing section) many years ago which served as the stage in the 70’s. They took that down and made the stage that stands today. We do not need an amphitheater, why cant Clear Channel use Keyspan Stadium, or Kaiser Park, or some other area that is now just vacant lots located in Coney Island. Leave our park alone, leave it to the new children of the neighborhood, so they can take their first steps there, or say their first words there, or dig their first worm there. It’s all we have that we can just go and sit on a bench and watch the children play or talk to our friends, or just take a walk around the park. FIND SOMEPLACE OTHER THAN SEABREEZE PARK FOR THIS. Please.

    –Robin B. (Lifelong Seabreeze Avenue Resident)

  2. None of us want that amplatheater. I take my kids to that park every day. Now they are building a concert venue so that Clear Channel has a place to hold concerts? rWhats wrong with that baseball stadium they built down the street? Must every inch of public property be given over for commercial use? The mayor wants to give away Abe Stark park to a condo developer and Markowitz wants to give away Asser Levey to Clear Channel. Next thing you know they are going to give away the beach.

    And you are right. Bloomberg, Ricchia and Markowitz all came here and made a bunch of promises that they were going to save the amusement area. Now they are destroying it all out of greed. A bunch of criminals run this city.

    Mary