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Coney Island Redevelopment
Are there any other sites.
Think in the future. Let it be your present.
New York Daily News:
Mall maker eying Coney
BY DEBORAH KOLBEN
Wednesday, August 10th, 2005
Be on the lookout for something really big.
Developers of Mall of America - the country's largest indoor mall - are eying Coney Island, the Daily News has learned.
Triple Five Group is about to close on a piece of land in the area and plans to build a mall with residential, retail and office space, according to a company vice president.
"We're talking to landowners," the executive said.
The group also built the West Edmonton Mall in Canada, one of the world's largest malls and amusement centers.
After years of neglect, Coney Island has become a focus of interest among developers, who are snatching up land there.
The city is about to announce a major overhaul for the once-grand seaside resort and another mall developer, Thor Equities, also has been buying up land.
"There's enough of Coney Island to go around for everyone," said real estate broker Michael Harari of Massey Knakal real estate, which handles many sales in the area.
"The big misconception in Coney Island is that it's only Thor - I've sold large properties to several large groups," Harari said.
He declined to identify other developers that have been buying land.
Thor plans to unveil its plans after the city releases its Coney Island master plan - which will likely include movie theaters, bowling alleys, arcades, a grand entrance for the aquarium and apartment buildings.
The Triple Five executive said he was not ready to discuss the company's specific plans for Coney Island.
"They contacted me, and they showed an interest in Coney Island," Councilman Domenic Recchia (D-Coney Island) said.
"I don't know how they play into the overall plan, but I'm interested in finding out," he said.
"Anybody that can bring financing and development and is willing to work with the City Council, the mayor, and the Coney Island Development Corp. - we welcome them," Recchia said.
Many amusement park owners are excited about the changes but fear being pushed out.
"We all want a bigger, better Coney Island," said Dick Zigun, president of the nonprofit Coney Island USA. "We just don't want it to transform from an amusement park into a shopping mall."
Ugh ugh ugh ugh ugh. One mall is enough.
the indoor water park sounds interesting, a would not be THAT bad. considering that coney island needs to be a year round destination. Im sure that developers will not build malls right next to each other, that would be silly. There are plenty of diverse development opportunities for everyone
Hmmm. It is an interesting time for C.I.
I wonder what the architecture will be like? I don't mind an influx of retail as long as it rides on the coattails of Amusements (i.e. new rides) and hospitality (i.e. hotel) development.
I think it is going to take something big and maybe seemingly intrusive to wrest the attention of visitors from the ugly projects all around.
I would think that while it is a mall, there will be a heavy focus on entertainment...like water parks, amusements, etc. That is the point of the "master plan," to make CI a year round attraction.
Also, wasn't there an article about Thor saying it's not really looking to develop a "mall." While there would be retail, the focus would be on amusement.
I'm all for it, if done right, I suppose. The area needs to be developed.
Now, throw in a nice resort/spa and a big expansion of the Aquarium, and I'd be happy.
These two companies might be able to create some interesting destinations. Mall of America - not only sells "Mall of America" snow globes - it also has an Aquarium and an amusement park.
The reality is that C.I. and south and east Brooklyn can use the jobs. I am excited (with reservation).
Im glad to hear there’s support for a mall here, because the developers do have a good track record. People rightfully deride Long Island style malls or Atlantic Terminal, but having visited large malls outside a city center in Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. and I also like Time Warner Center’s vertical mall although as a general rule malls do not belong in Manhattan, I've come to like these malls and I hate shopping. I actually find myself appreciating them as a destination, I’ve heard it classified as new retail where interesting shops are combined with interesting restaurants such as Rain Forest Cafe's and interesting attractions such as exhibits and rides. Its entertainment-retail, people make a trip out there without a shopping list in hand.
In these cases two things will be of tremendous importance: architecture (maintaining a consistent C.I. theme) and amusements (ensuring the amusement zone is preserved with new rollercoasters - preferably - even if they are indoors or springing out of a rooftop).
Last edited by BrooklynRider; August 12th, 2005 at 10:39 AM.
I am generally not a fan of malls. However, it would seem that malls are fully consistent with Coney Island's history... for example, like a mall, Steeplechase Park was an enclosed space designed to encourage you to spend a long time inside and offering a wide variety of ways to spend money.
So please... hold the chain stores and abysmal architecture. If Coney Island is going to get a mall, make it worthy, unique, and fun.
San Francisco's Metreon might provide some ideas on how to achieve this...
http://www.metreon.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metreon
http://gocalifornia.about.com/od/casfmenu/a/metreon.htm
...but apparently some of the most innovative attractions have already been removed due to lack of profitability.
CONEY IS. LAND GOES FOR $85M
By PATRICK GALLAHUE
http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/27194.htm
August 18, 2005 -- The sale of a massive swath of beachfront property on the Coney Island boardwalk was announced yesterday — with a titanic $85 million price tag attached.
The 168,000-square-foot parcel is the most expensive in the area in recent memory and could mean hundreds of apartments in a high-rise luxury building.
"There's not too many developing areas that offer so much buildable square feet, and this is on the shore and offers those ocean views," said Michael Harari, a broker for Massey Knakal, which is selling the vacant property on West 21st Street.
"We're not going to any small developers — this is a huge project," he added. "We've already talked to some of the top developers in the city."
The city, along with local business owners and activists, is already working on a master plan to revitalize Coney Island as a regional entertainment district.
The blueprint could include a housing component, and Harari said he believes the city will rezone the boardwalk land — adjacent to the Cyclones' baseball stadium — to allow for up to 14 floors.
But city officials working on the plan said no specific rezoning proposals had yet been decided.
Harari likened the proposal for high-end towers in Coney to an earlier luxury housing complex, roughly a mile up the boardwalk in Brighton Beach, called Oceana. Apartments in the 850-unit, 15-acre complex have sold for up $2 million.
"This is a very rare product," Harari said.
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The C7 district looks to be under attack. Why would a residential developer gamble $85M on a C7 property without any assurance of gaining zoning variances.
Also, in the NYHPost article Harari talks about the "proposal". What proposal? How does a residential developer create a proposal for a C7 property that justifies an $85M price tag.
The major parcels in the C7 zone have now been bought by two m all companies and residential developer.
Looks like the amusement Zone might look more like San Diego's Belmont Park that C.I. of the golden era.
Announcement at 1PM Today by the Mayor on Redevelopment Plans for C.I.
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