Having gotten a good sense yesterday of what Coney Island will look like and feel like this season, several conclusions emerge:

1) Because developer Joe Sitt has put property that was allowed to sit empty last year back into service, Coney will have more businesses operating this year and, possibly, than it has had in several year. Many, many storefronts and kiosks are occupied, and it is a very, very good thing.

2) The use of cleared land for rides and attractions by the developer is a good thing and should be cheered. We’re going to guess that some current business people in Coney Island may be chafing that there is duplication of rides and effort. In fact, there might have been a more conscious effort to introduce new rides rather than replicating ones that already exist in, say, Astroland. Nonethess, it’s great to see more things for people to do in Coney. Sadly, the number of rides will be greatly diminished in a couple of week, so it will be a while before the shape of things for the full season is clear.

3) Mr. Sitt and his firm Thor Equities are either driven by economic necessity to maximize profit on their land or are being pushed by a desire to put on a happier public face as it negotiates with the city. Last year’s created air of forced abandonment was a fairly despicable tactic. This year’s shift to storefronts and rides is a far better alternative both for the developer and for the public that is on the receiving end.

4) It’s hard not to conclude that Coney won’t be having the best season in years. All the publicity surrounding the rezone only serves to attract more people and, if the huge crowds there yesterday were any indication, it will be a good year indeed.