Taconic Mulls Next Act for Landmark Coney Building

A couple weekends ago Dianna Carlin launched her Dreamland Roller Rink in Coney Island’s Childs Building to plenty of fanfare and press. For now, as the Observer notes, the event was a one-off while Taconic Investment Partners plans a restoration of the landmark that will bring it permanently back to life. “We’re working with Beyer Blinder Belle on the restoration, and they’ve just started coming to us with designs,” says Douglas Winshall, an executive vice president at Taconic, which bought a long-term lease on the building in 2006. “We think a catering hall would be the best use of the building. Work on it, though, is going to require a pretty big investment from us and from the user.” Winshall says the firm is in talks with community groups who want to use the space this season, as well as with Carlin about operating a roller rink regularly over the summer. For now, though, the only definite event that’s going to be held in the building is the Mermaid Parade Ball, as it was last year. Taconic has purchased two parcels of land in Coney Island, and the company’s plans for those lots hinges on the rezoning of the area. That’s not the case for the Childs Building, however. “We’re thinking about Childs separately from what we’re doing with our other Coney Island parcels,” says Winshall. “Childs will be redeveloped before we start building anything else there.” (An out-of-date rendering Beyer Blinder Belle produced for the Coney Island Strategic Plan that may give an idea of what future Childs could look like is on the jump.) As for a time frame? “We’re ready to go today,” says Winshall.
Lola Staar’s Dreamland Rink Opens in Childs Building [Gowanus Lounge]
A Coney Island Dream Deferred [The Real Estate]