Coney Island "Renaissance"

[muscle1313]

One thing you guys gotta keep in mind is this will not be just amusements. The number one goal of the CIDC is to make Coney a year round destination, not just for summertime like it is now. Hearing the plan should be out this month. I hope. They originally said November 04 so you never know but think there is a good chance we get to see the whole plan this month.

[muscle1313]

Looks like this month --

The Coney Island Development Corporation was formed in September 2003 by the Mayor, the City Council and the Brooklyn Borough President. The 13-member Board of the CIDC includes City officials, local and Brooklyn-wide business and community leaders. It is charged with spearheading and implementing a comprehensive planning process for Coney Island and creating a coordinated economic development strategy for the area. In March 2004, the CIDC selected the team of Ernst & Young LLP and Davis Brody Bond LLP to create a strategic development plan for Coney Island. In developing the plan, the consultants have devised a strategy for implementing short- and long-term improvements to the Coney Island community that include physical and economic changes. The plan builds on the existing business base and will develop vacant property and market the area for a variety of year-round uses. The plan's expected completion is scheduled for January 2005.

http://www.vanalen.org/competitions/...nitiatives.htm

[muscle1313]

Thanks to BillyBlanco for pointing this out

NY Post

SHARK TALE IN CONEY
By PATRICK GALLAHUE

EXCLUSIVE


Coney Island is about to become a world-famous destination for sharks.

The New York Aquarium is preparing to announce a multimillion-dollar upgrade to its facilities, including a titanic expansion of its shark exhibit.

"At this point, it's all part of this master plan," said John Calvelli, a spokesman for the aquarium. "And we're going to have several kind of 'wow' exhibits in there."

Details of the upgrade — which will include new amenities, exhibits and animals — are expected to be released in the next four to six weeks. But the centerpiece of the renovation will be the $29 million, 500,000-gallon Open Ocean Exhibit, which will represent a massive upgrade to the shark exhibit.

The tank will have an acrylic window — clearer than old-fashioned glass — stretching 30 to 40 feet long and 10 feet high and will be designed so the viewer cannot see the rear wall of the tank, said Dr. Paul Boyle, director of the New York Aquarium.

"It will look like it goes on into the abyss," Boyle said. "There will be a lot more sharks in this tank than in our present tank, so you'll see sharks come out of the haze as if they're coming from the open ocean."

The aquarium already has a 90,000-gallon shark tank, home to 40-year-old Bertha, the oldest known sand tiger shark in captivity. But the existing shark pavilion will be torn down and the new building — with a tank more than five times the size of the current facility — will be built over it in fall or winter of this year.

The Open Ocean Exhibit will also include multiple educational features — such as graphics demonstrating the decline in shark populations and other displays to debunk sharks' man-eating mystique — as well as a separate tank for warm-water reef sharks.

"We want to tell people how important they are in their natural habitat," Boyle said. Boyle said he expects the project to be finished in 2007.

Other features of the master plan will include a recreation of Glover's Reef in Belize, to open this spring, and an animal clinic so the aquarium's marine life can be treated on site.

The total cost of the upgrades are expected to approach $50 million over 10 years and will be paid for with a combination of city, state and private money.

The 108-year-old aquarium is Brooklyn's most popular cultural institution with 750,000 annual visitors and the oldest continually operating aquarium in the country.

[muscle1313]

The landmarked Child's restaurant building on the boardwalk is up for sale. A cool $8 mil.

[muscle1313]

The Brooklyn Papers

29M shark
house set for
Aquarium

The New York Aquarium,
long home to the oldest
known sand tiger shark in
captivity, will triple the number
of sea predators it cares
for as part of a multimilliondollar
makeover of the nearly
50-year-old complex in
Coney Island, starting with
the shark house.

A $29 million fix-up of the
shark habitat will add as many
as two dozen nurse sharks, carpet
sharks, pajama sharks and
leopard sharks to the dozen or
so that already live in the
aquarium. It is expected to be
completed by 2007.
To accommodate the newcomers,
officials plan to install
a state-of-the-art, 500,000-gallon
tank surrounding a walk-

way that will allow sharks to swim over the heads of their human
admirers. Asecond tank will recreate a tropical setting for warm
water sharks of the "carpet" and "pajama" varieties.
"The whole point here is that sharks are very important in marine
ecosystems," said
Dr. Paul Boyle, director
of the aquarium. "The
biggest ones are the top
predators in the ocean's
ecosystem. They're the
equivalent of lions and
tigers."
News of the aquarium-wide upgrade,
which will not be completed
until at least
2015, comes amid rumors
that officials are
seeking to relocate the
108-year-old aquarium
from its complex on
Surf Avenue at West
Eighth Street, just off
the boardwalk.
But aquarium officials said this week that the likelihood of
moving its staff and some 8,000 animals to the other end of the
boardwalk, next to Keyspan Park, was about as likely as a fish
living on land.
Last week, a local paper published an article that said the
move "is one idea being carefully studied for implementation as
part of the Coney Island Development Corporation's master
plan."
"We're absolutely not moving," said Susann Holloway, director
of communications for the New York Aquarium.
Boyle said that while he had heard the rumors, he had not been
approached by any members of the Coney Island Development
Corporation (CIDC), the group charged with creating a plan for
Coney Island's redevelopment.

Rather than a serious consideration, the idea is one among
dozens floated by attendees at a number of public development
corporation meetings, said several CIDC members interviewed
this week.
Before the new sharks arrive, however, a host of new exhibits,
an animal hospital and even a new restaurant — complete with
seafood — are slated to be unveiled by this Memorial Day weekend.
Most impressive, Boyle said, is a complete renovation of the
tank in the aquarium's lobby, which will be dressed up to look
like the coral reef system in Belize that researchers from the
aquarium are currently studying. Decorated with artificial corral
and filled with Cow Nose Rays, the new tank hopes to obscure
the visibility of its back wall, which Boyle said ruins the illusion
of actually being in the ocean.
"We actually trying to recreate a real place to let people see
and understand the reef," said Boyle.
Behind that tank, however, the aquarium is preparing to open
an animal hospital, what Boyle calls an "aquatic animal health
center." Until now, the aquariums' sea animals had to be treated
in facilities at the Bronx Zoo.
"When you're dealing with a 3,000-pound walrus that gets to be a
little difficult," said Boyle.
Also expected to be unveiled by Memorial Day is the return of
the Bathysphere, the metal tank that first dropped two underwater
explorers — William Beebe and Otis Barton — 3,028 feet below
the ocean off the coast of Bermuda. The expedition in the
1930s marked the deepest voyage under sea to that point.
Boyle said that the Bathysphere, built in 1934, had been an exhibit
at the aquarium five years ago but was removed from public view to be
repainted and touched up.
Another exhibit, called "Mind in Water," will install in the aquarium
a host of dolphin videos and interactive video games that seek to
understand how the brains of animals and humans work.

[muscle1313]

Excerpt- from Marty's State of the Borough address this past Thursday

Everyone knows that Brooklyn is undergoing a renaissance — you don't
need me to tell you that. But there are some great Brooklyn stories
from the past year that you might have missed — and I also want to
fill you in on some exciting plans for 2005 and beyond.

Let's start this tour in Coney Island. When I was a boy, Coney Island
was the playground of New York City — and it was the neighborhood
that symbolized Brooklyn to the world. It wasn't unusual to find 2
million visitors there on a summer's day. But times change and tastes
change.

This year, the Coney Island Development Corporation will roll out a
comprehensive plan for new parkland, new entertainment venues, and
possibly new housing. I want to thank Mayor Bloomberg for recognizing
the unique character and limitless potential of this legendary
Brooklyn neighborhood. Already, developers from all over the world
are competing for a role in the redevelopment of this most famous
slice of Americana.

By promoting it as a year-round recreation, amusement, and commercial
center — and as a major tourist attraction, we will preserve and
celebrate Coney Island's magical personality — with a twenty-first
century incarnation of its spirit that will make it even more
fabulous than it was in its heyday.

Coney Island's resurgence is due in no small part to the efforts of
Brooklyn City Council member Dominic Recchia — who recently became
chair of the council's Cultural Affairs Committee. Thank you, Dominic.

Now, when I was running for Borough President, I promised you that I
would find a way to reclaim Coney Island's most famous landmark — the
Parachute Jump. Because what does the Parachute Jump mean to anyone
younger than 50? As a child, I never went on the Parachute Jump. To
be honest, I never went on the Cyclone either — monster rides scare
the daylights out of me. I did, however, ride the Wonder Wheel — a
ride, by the way, which celebrates its 85th birthday this year. Even
then, I would only ride in the stationary cars.

And the closest I ever got to the Parachute Jump was waving at the
people brave enough to float on down. Even so, the Parachute Jump was
an emblem of Brooklyn to me, and to every Brooklynite. So I am proud
to announce that this June, I will permanently light Brooklyn's
Eiffel Tower at Coney Island. It will be a dazzling display and a
source of pride visible from our suburbs of Manhattan, Staten Island,
New Jersey, and beyond.

It will beckon visitors from everywhere, who will say, "Hey, why
should I get in a car and go to some suburban theme park — when I can
go to Coney Island for the day?" Coney Island will once again be a
must-see for tourists. Just think — they will be able to ride the
Cyclone and the Wonder Wheel, get great franks and fries at Nathan's —
not that I personally know anything about those fries, mind you —
visit the Aquarium, and then catch a game of our champion Cyclones.

Every American amusement park has tried to copy, replace, or exceed
Coney Island — but of course none ever will. Soon, we'll have the
Parachute Jump back to light the way toward Coney Island's bright
future.

[ZippyTheChimp]

As a child, I never went on the Parachute Jump. To
be honest, I never went on the Cyclone either — monster rides scare
the daylights out of me.

What a wuss!

[muscle1313]

What a wuss!

That "wuss" is the best borough president Brooklyn has ever had. Bringing cruises, a pro Basketball team, and reviving Coney. All of them promises he made during his campaign and all coming true. Marty is Mr. Brooklyn.

[ZippyTheChimp]

Lighten up. It was a joke.

At any rate, Marty had no power to bring these things to Brooklyn. When the City Charter was revised, the borough presidents lost most of their power.

[muscle1313]

At any rate, Marty had no power to bring these things to Brooklyn. When the City Charter was revised, the borough presidents lost most of their power.

Sure Marty had no power. Thats what you think. Marty just called Bruce Ratner every week since he was elected to tell him to buy the Nets until Ratner finally did. You think it was Ratner's idea? LOL Marty just allocated funds out of the Borough President's budget to light up the Parachute Jump and appointed his Brooklyn development director to the Coney Island Development Corporation. Marty just created the Seaside Park weekly concerts in Coney 2 decades ago. He just campaigned on all these issues - Cruises, Basketball, Coney for years. No power at all. Did anybody honestly think Marty could bring a professional sports team to Brooklyn 5 years ago when he was campaigning on the issue? I even laughed back then. Marty made it happen.

[ZippyTheChimp]

Sure Marty had no power. Thats what you think. Marty just called Bruce Ratner every week since he was elected to tell him to buy the Nets until Ratner finally did.

So, you think phone calls to Ratner is why the Nets are going to Brooklyn?

Exactly what political or financial leverage did he use?

Bloomberg put the weight of City Hall behind the Atlantic Yards project, and incidentally, Ratner and Pataki were classmates in law school.

To me, Marty symbolizes the stereotypical Brooklyn - quaint, and not to be taken seriously when it's time to sit down and hammer out big projects.

[muscle1313]

So, you think phone calls to Ratner is why the Nets are going to Brooklyn?

Basically it was Marty's entire idea. Ratner has said as much in the press. Do some research next time. Thanks.

[muscle1313]

So, you think phone calls to Ratner is why the Nets are going to Brooklyn?

Excerpt NY Daily News January 18, 2004 Denis Hamill column

"When Markowitz first called me about this, I told him I didn't know anything about buying ball teams or building arenas," Ratner said. "I thought he was nuts. But he kept calling. And calling. And calling. Two, three times a week."

[ZippyTheChimp]

I already have - on the political power of borough presidents. There is no way - as you say - Marty brought Ratner and the Nets to the Atlantic yards. He may have lobbied for it, but his office does not have the authority. Especially in this case, since the yards involve the MTA, and that brought Pataki into the picture. I don't even remember Marty making a speech at the news conference announcing the development.

I'll give him the Parachute Jump, though.

[muscle1313]

This is laughable Zippy. Did you read the Daily News quote from Ratner before you posted. It was Marty's idea. Ratner didn't think of the idea or even want to buy the Nets until Marty convinced him. Look you can believe what you want to believe. Ratner has publicly stated the Brooklyn Nets will happen because of Marty. How do you explain this-

"When Markowitz first called me about this, I told him I didn't know anything about buying ball teams or building arenas," Ratner said. "I thought he was nuts. But he kept calling. And calling. And calling. Two, three times a week."