As expected, the City Council approved the Bloomberg administration’s plans for the rezoning and redevelopment of Coney Island yesterday afternoon, and reports surfaced that the City was close to reaching a deal with its long-time nemesis in the area, Joe Sitt. The Council voted 44-2 in favor of the plan, with only Tony Avella of Queens and Charles Barron of Brooklyn opposing it. The deal with Sitt is more interesting. According to The Times, the city would buy six of the ten acress Sitt’s company Thor Equities owns in the footprint, leaving him four acres on Stillwell and Surf Avenues for him to develop; no word on price. Needless to say, the group Save Coney Island wasn’t very pleased with the Council’s vote: This is a sad day for New York City,” said spokesman Juan Rivero. “As a result of this rezoning, people across the city and around the world who love Coney Island could see its historic amusement district shrunk, covered up and blocked off with high-rises, its history destroyed and its potential squandered — all for nothing.”
Council Approves Deal to Upgrade Coney Island [NY Times]
Bloomberg’s Coney Island Plan Passes City Council [NY Daily News]
Council Approves Coney Plan [NY Post]
Photo by John Chevier