Thor Backs Away from Coney Condo Plan
After months of criticism from city officials and community members, Joseph Sitt of Thor Equities submitted a plan that replaces the controversial 40-story condominium tower and hundreds of other rental apartments along the Coney Island boardwalk with a lower-scale mix of hotels and timeshares. Does it represent enough of a change to satisfy critics or…
After months of criticism from city officials and community members, Joseph Sitt of Thor Equities submitted a plan that replaces the controversial 40-story condominium tower and hundreds of other rental apartments along the Coney Island boardwalk with a lower-scale mix of hotels and timeshares. Does it represent enough of a change to satisfy critics or is the plan just wolf dressed up as a sheep, as Robert Lieber, president of the city’s Economic Development Corporation, called it? It’s an important question for Thor, which needs the city on board to complete a rezoning and to cough up financing on the order of $100 million. The key to any plan for the area is finding a way to make Coney Island a year-round destination. Unfortunately, it’s hard to see how to accomplish that while maintaining the old-school vibe for which so many New Yorkers feel nostalgia. If you’re already going to turn it into Disney World, what’s the big deal is about having some condos in the mix?
Coney Island Plan Is Scaled Back [NY Times]
Condos Nixed from Coney Revamp Plan [NY Post]
Coney Developer Drops Condo Plan [NY Sun]
Astorland is still open. I actually take my five year old to Coney Island all the time – it is really funa dn attracts a wonderful mix of people. At 20 bucks for 10 rides it is affordable for me. The kiddie rides are great. But the attendants do look a little worse for wear and some of the music is really x-rated. Given the rundown nature of the immediate neighbrohood and the plethora of taller buildings (both projects and middle class housing) it seems like not the place to argue for low rise being contextual. What is contextual is auto repairs and Russian internet shops and boarde up SRO’s. Seems to be a pretty blank shlate to recreate – as it has been in the past.
Sorry,
Just tough to keep track of with all the Anonymous posters. My apologies.
The thought crossed my mind earlier on projects like Atlantic Yards, but honestly, I don’t think that decision was made by the city planning department but rather was made upstairs. But where they have made a considered opinion, I think it deserves at least a bit more respect than our own relatively poorly informed ones (and I’m including myself in that, no offense meant).
In his new proposal, he also got rid of the 40-story building but, according to the articles, maintained the same density with spreading things out a bit. There would be two questions of whether he lowered the buildings enough to be reasonable and whether he is going to bind himself to anything acceptable or will just pay lip-service to a particular plan and then go ahead with his original idea once the constructions crews show up. If he commits to building something within the scope of the neighborhood, I think some new housing would be good for the neighborhood.
I did not make all these posts and never said the housing projects were 40 stories that was someone else.
As for the city making the decision, I would watch out for what you ask for as Atlantic Yards has shown us.
Also, while you may not be against housing from reading all the articles posted by Brownstoner and the links you posted clearly there are opponents to housing and that is the major change in his new proposal. Sorry if I assumed you held those positions. Personally, I would be in favor of housing if people want to live next to an amusment park why not let them. I think it improve the area with residents having a vested interest in a nice neighborhood.
Also, you say that in your opinion 20 to 30 story buildings wouldn’t a bad thing. What’s wrong with deferring to the opinion of the people the city has hired and put in charge of making these decisions?
Again, it’s not hatred against housing. So stop framing it that way. I may as well keep asking why people hate doing things in proportion to the neighborhood. Although really, I’ve answered your question (What is the hatred against housing? There isn’t one.); I’ve never heard a response to mine other than incorrect assertions.
“The housing projects are 40 stories high.”
They’re not.
“20 to 30 story buildings in the area with retail and restaurants would [not] be a bad thing.”
20 story builings may be ok, 30 are still really high. The picture in the first link from the Gowanus blogger depicted a 35-story building and it just dwarfed everything. Also, there’s little assurance that he would get approval and hold to his promises, which is the point made by the president of the city’s Economic Development Corporation.
And I also go to Coney Island; am going there tomorrow night, in fact, for the Cyclones season opener.
True about him buying Astroland up (I posted at 1:36pm menting him buying it up).
Either way I don’t think that 20 to 30 story buildings in the area with retail and restaurants would be a bad thing. 40 Stories is probably a little large but I think the neighborhood needs help and having large towers on the water is not a bad thing as long as the beach and boardwalk remain open to the public, which no one is saying will change. I do like to go to the Cyclones games so it is not like I haven’t been to the area but the surronding area needs help.
Also, what is the hatred against housing in the area.
Well, he was responsible for closing Astroland so you can’t use that argument. It’s no better than kids who killed their parents asking for leniency because they were orphans.
And what’s wrong with maintaining a sense or proportionality for neighborhoods? Not every neighborhood is the financial district or midtown. There’s zoning regs; it’s not like just buying a plot of land gives you unfettered right to build whatever and however on it as you please.
I don’t get this argument. What is wrong with high rise buildings on the waterfront replacing a run down area, which will basically be an empty lot once Astroland closes.
Another sense of perspective from the same blogger: http://gowanuslounge.blogspot.com/2007/03/new-coney-island-tactic-reshuffling.html