Related Post:
Albee Square Developer to Get $100 Million Discount?

• Bloomberg Urging Veto of Current 421-a Developer Tax Break Bill [NYT]
• The $300M Atlantic Yards “Carve Out” & Possible Veto [AYR]
• Police Action Against Williamsburg Bicycles [Streets Blog]
• DOB’s First Rejection of “Minerva II” [Brownstoner]
• Thinkwell’s Designs & Concepts for the New Coney Island [Kinetic Carnival]
• Great Moments in Greenpoint Vinyl Siding, VII [newyorkshitty]
• Jerks Vandalize Bed-Stuy Community Garden, Steal Goldfish [Bed-Stuy Blog]
• Manhattan Avenue Commerce Update [11222]
• Trader Joe’s to Court St. & McDonald’s to Smith St.? [Curbed]
• Wallabout History Threatened by Developers [Brownstoner]
• Don’t Forget Electronics Recycling in Flatbush This Weekend [Sustainable Flatbush]
• Guess Location of This Photo, Get Two Tix to Southpaw Show [Brooklyn Based]
• Afro-Punk Block Party on Sunday [Myrtle Minutes]
• The Ninth Street Bridge Operator [Big Sky Brooklyn]
• F Train Press Conference a Success [Brooklyn Streets]
• F Express Plea Picks Up Speed [Metro]
• Kobayashi to Scarf Down Hot Dogs on July 4 at Nathan’s [amNY]

We missed a solid piece in the Village Voice earlier this week called The Second Battle of Bushwick, as a reader pointed out to us. It is long, detailed and chronicles the way Bushwick is changing and who is paying the price. The article–which runs five full screens if you read it online–bears Tom Robbins byline. If you read one detailed story this week, this should be it.

From the way it starts in the bizarre condo at 358 Grove Street to the stomach churning detail about the foul treatment of longtime Bushwick residents (illegal rent hikes, blatant harrassment, housing code violations of Biblical proportion, etc.) being pushed out to make way for the complete rebranding of their neighborhood as an extension of Williamsburg, The Second Battle covers a lot of ground. Consider the amusing real estate sales babble at 358 Grove:

“This is the continuation of Williamsburg,” insists the condo’s frantic real estate agent, dashing about the sixth-floor sales office. “Look,” he says, burbling the happy nonsense of a salesman, “people in the neighborhood are ready to take their lives to the next level.”

What’s at work here is straight out of the brokers’ handbook: Link the property in buyers’ minds to the worldwide cachet of that now-prosperous and booming neighborhood a couple miles west of here. “The Peter Luger Steakhouse is just a couple of blocks away,” the agent says, leaning over an unfinished rooftop cabana. Actually, Peter Luger’s is a solid eight subway stops away from here on the M train that rumbles along Myrtle Avenue. But no matter. There are some very solid marketing rationales for this approach.

Or, consider the rundown of the change and the consequences:

Now, step by step—or stop by stop, since the burgeoning hipoisie have largely followed the path of the overcrowded L train through Brooklyn—it’s arrived in Bushwick.

Not that that’s a bad thing, by most measures. A neighborhood that ranks in the top 10 poorest areas of the city, that has the highest rate of asthma hospitalizations and the most serious housing-code violations, can use all the help it can get. New investment means new residents, new stores, new jobs. And, whether city fathers choose to admit it or not, it means much closer municipal attention to crime and the quality of local life. For those who already own a modest piece of the rock, and who held on through the bad years, rising real estate values also yield a once-in-a-lifetime bonanza, a hike in net worth that trickles down to the rest of the family, providing a nice cushion against an otherwise fickle economy…The people directly in harm’s way, however, are those clinging to the lower rungs of the economic ladder: renters who never came close to raising a down payment for their own home, let alone a sparkling new condo with granite counters and backsplash. For those living in buildings of fewer than six units—the cutoff for rent-regulation protections—it’s just their hard luck: Eviction is usually as simple as a lapsed lease and a new rent set far beyond the pocketbook of the current tenant.

There are many individual stories within the article. Carve out some time, if you can, and read.

In the summer of 1909, 20 million people visited Coney Island, including Sigmund Freud, who reportedly said that it was the only thing about America that interested him. In 1920, the subway reached Coney (an express train from Times Square took 45 minutes), bringing immigrants and factory workers. The beach was often so crowded that the mass of bodies obscured the sand. Subway fare, a hot dog at Nathan Hand?werker’s stand (today, Nathan’s Famous), admission to sideshows—each cost five cents. Coney Island earned a new moniker: the Nickel Empire.

Robert Moses emerged as Coney Island’s most influential critic in the 1930s. But Moses alone wasn’t responsible for Coney’s decline. The rise of television, air-conditioning, and Disneyland; crime and urban blight; politicians and real estate developers—all played a part. In the 1970s, word spread that casinos were coming to Coney Island, leading to frenzied speculation. Many landowners sat on vacant lots and waited for a big payday that never came. In 2001, talk of a Coney Island revival again gathered momentum when Mayor Rudolph Giuliani oversaw the construction, near the Parachute Jump, of KeySpan Park, a minor-league baseball stadium.

Many locals were heartened in August 2005, when Bloomberg saved the Bishoff & Brienstein Carousell, the last remaining hand-carved carousel in Coney Island. It was in danger of being auctioned off; the city bought it for $1.8 million. That the carousel is being restored and will reopen under the Parachute Jump suggests that Bloomberg and the city council are sensitive to Coney’s heritage. But precedent has shown what can happen when a real estate developer decides to use heavy-handed tactics against the city. Many years ago, Fred Trump (Donald’s father) bought Steeplechase Park, the last of Coney’s original amusement parks, and pressured the city to change the zoning so that he could build high-rise apartment buildings. Steeplechase’s main attraction was the Pavilion of Fun—a five-acre steel-and-glass building. “It was one of the most beautiful structures in New York,” says Charles Denson. “Trump tore it down, and he did it in such a spiteful way. He invited the press and handed out bricks, had people fling bricks through the glass facade.” The date was September 21, 1966; Denson was 12 years old. Trump was fearful the pavilion might become a landmark and had hoped that the city, faced with a vacant lot, would cave to his zoning request. It never did. The site is now home to KeySpan Park.

Forty years later, the Trump story still sticks in the throat.

More information about events is available at meanredproductions.com, which is running the Yard. The official address is 400 Carroll Street, which is between between Bond Street and the Canal. Look for the Carroll Street Bridge and you can’t miss it.

We noted this at the recent Community Board 6 meeting in Park Slope, then promptly forgot until our e-missive arrived from nyc.gov. It’s of interest if you drive over the Hamilton Avenue Bridge over the Gowanus or take a car service that way or whatever. Here it is:

Lane Closures on the Hamilton Avenue Bridge

There will be lane closures on the Hamilton Avenue Bridge over the Gowanus Canal from June 30 to September 3. The closures are necessary to facilitate replacement of the old bridge.

The travel lanes on the Hamilton Avenue Bridge will be reduced from four lanes in each direction to two lanes in each direction. However,during rushhour from6 am -10 am on weekdays, three lanes will be maintained northbound (Manhattan bound) andone lane will be maintained in the southbound direction. During all other hours and on weekends there will be two lanes in each direction. Pedestrian and bicycle access will also be maintained at all times and bus service will not be interrupted.

The Prospect Expressway Exit ramp to Hamilton Avenue will be closed on weekdays from 6 am to 10 am to reduce congestion in the area.

For the recrod, the Hamilton Avenue Bridge is a “bascule type bridge” with two parallel leafs, one carrying the northbound roadway and the other carrying the southbound roadway. It was built in 1942 and carries traffic across the Gowanus Canal. The $55 million reconstruction will install new mechanical and electrical operating systems, improved navigation lighting for marine traffic, wider traffic lanes and other improvements. Work will be done in 2009.

There’s a play set in Coney Island called Goodbye April, Hello May playing at HERE, which is an arts space on Sixth Avenue. It runs through July 16 and is described as “a heartsick comedy about the decay of civilization.” HERE is at 145 Sixth Avenue and tickets can be ordered here. The description of the play on HERE’s website says:

A hundred years from today, in an apartment in Coney Island, an intrepid band of New Yorkers battle unconscionable hardship with inexplicable enthusiasm.

We won’t get into the liklihood that a hundred years from now Coney highrises built in the next few years–not to mention everything already there–will be partially submerged by rising sea levels due to global warming. We’ll assume that the play is set in an apartment on an upper floor and that transportation is by watercraft. Water taxis on Ocean Parkway anyone?

Several permits have been approved today for the controversial building at 360 Smith Street. The overall building plans have not been approved and they are not construction permits. Rather they are permits for the sort of thing that comes before construction: fences, sheds and the like. Three of the permits were approved today (6/28). The permits that are in place include one for curb cuts, one for a construction fence and one for a construction shed. A total of five permits for the building–which is the subject of intense neighborhood grassroots organizing but which can be built “as of right” by the developer–have been issued since Friday, June 22. (You can find the DOB’s page on permits and applications for the buildings here, should you care to gaze upon the user-unfriendly jargon and abbreviations.) Stay tuned for the reaction that is sure to follow. Which we will, of course, have in the morning.

Please be advised that we are working closely with the NYC Department of Buildings on a number of investigations focused upon Robert Scarano, RA. I am forwarding a copy of your letter to the Supervising Investigator Thomas Rogers, who will contact you and will open an investigation…

Mr. de Blasio is seeking to have the department take Mr. Scarano’s professional certification and has been sending out emails and making statements to that effect. Meanwhile, the Council Member is circulating a letter and urging that it be sent to the developer of the 360 Smith Street building that has stirred a pot of controversy that extend far beyond that one structure. The letter says in part:

I am writing about the proposed building plan for 360 Smith Street, Brooklyn. You are currently employing Mr. Robert Scarano as the architect on the project. Mr. Scarano is currently under a number of investigations by the New York State Education Department.

I am respectfully requesting that you utilize another architect to design your project. Not only because Mr. Scarano is under investigation by the NYS Education Department but also because he is synonymous with bad developers and contractors. Projects that he has designed or been associated with have received numerous complaints from neighbors in addition to being subject to these investigations.

Carroll Gardens is a special place, and the residents would like to keep it that way. They are not opposed to building on the site at 360 Smith Street, but want to make sure that a responsible architect is employed on the project. Mr. Scarano has shown himself to be anything but responsible.

I urge you to find another architect before moving forward with this project.

Much more to come on this one.

Related Posts:
Councilman Circulates Scarano Email
Robert Scarano is Having a Bad June

We should note that that Manhattan Beach Civic Group voted yesterday to “disavow” those controversial ideas about checkpoints, metal detectors & privatizing the beach to keep “thugs” out. There was apparently quite a spirited discussion, which you can read all about at Gerritsen Beach.Net. What’s just as interesting, though, is that the blogger that broke the original story of the email with the controversial ideas was not greeted warmly by some in the audience. Check it out:

Al Smaldone got up and started saying that “Outside forces are separating our community, and to Keep on blogging!” a direct shot at me. At this point two people, Dr. Oliver Klapper, a professor at Kingsbourgh Community College and Robert Gevertzman, CB15 Member, who were trying to see what I was doing all night, and never approached me or introduced themselves, started to harass me loudly. Saying I had no right to be there. Asking me if I needed permission to write down names and what people were saying. They continued with: “What are you typing? Why are you’re simulcasting the whole meeting, you have no right to do that.” When I told him my first name and said that this was a public meeting he started yelling “Who are you, where are you from”. The meeting who was now jeering me calling for my name and who I was. I replied with Dan from Gerritsen Beach. At one point I think I was told I was out of order.

The NY Post was there as was Courier life. I saw that the NY Post reporter was asked to stand up and ID himself, and then was accused by a few people of causing problems.

Saying that the community of Manhattan Beach are elitists might be unfair, but the president and his cabinet who run the civic group are. The whole meeting was very unprofessional, unorganized and they acted like the only reason they cared is because of the attention it got. It seems like thats what Ron and his friends want to do. Ron let the meeting be run like a circus, let his people bully others around. I felt as though it there was no sense of community or respect for one another.

I left early before the rainstorm, to protect my equipment and to avoid another confrontation.

All in a good day’s work and fun.

[Photo courtesy of GerritsenBeach.Net]

This morning dozens of very tiny pamphlets appeared on each of the trees on the F train subway plaza at Smith and 2nd Place. The brochures, apparently written by and for squirrels, were placed at the bottom of the trees, (squirrel height, I guess!) with a sign that said “Take Me.” It seems the squirrels are angered that all the trees on the plaza will soon be cut down to make way for Scarano’s building, and they will have no place to store their nuts. They are organizing a letter-writing campaign and taking the fight directly to Amanda Burden! Here is a photo and some scans of the actual brochure…

We certainly give the Carroll Gardens crew working to change the 360 Smith building and, most recently, pushing for rezoning in the neighborhood, credit for having a sense of humor.

What you are looking at is a photo of a black-crowned night heron that makes its home on the shores of the Gowanus Canal. It has been given the name Manzana. Like all creatures one finds in, on or near the Big G, it represents the triumph of spirit and hope over reality. Yes, we know the Gowanus is better than it once was and that ducks, geese and other creatures are seen there. Still, we have to say, Manzana, We Salute You!

Oh, and below, those would be hardy Gowanus fish, also courtesy of Gowanus Canal on flickr.

Here’s a handy color map produced by the Pratt Center for Community Development of the “exclusion zones” for the 421-a tax abatements, AKA the developer tax break, because it provides huge tax abatements to developers that sometimes benefit very wealthy property owners. The tax break was reigned in a bit by the City Council and a bit more by the State Legislature. (Except for Atlantic Yards, which got special treatment under what journalist and blogger Norman Oder of Atlantic Yards Report calls the “Atlantic Yards Carve Out.”) In any case, developers in the areas on the map in maroon, rust and mustard have to include some affordable housing in their developments to qualify for the tax break. The Maroon Zone has been around for a long time. The Rust Zone was added by the City Council. The Mustard Zone was added by the Legislature. In the Gray Zone (Dark Gray, really), you get the tax break for building whatever you want. See The Real Estate for more on the issue overall and the full five-borough map.

“We haven’t seen this level of eminent domain abuse in New York City since the days of Robert Moses,” said No Land Grab’s Lumi Michelle Rolley, whose blog serves a clearning house for eminent domain-related stories. “Mayor Bloomberg’s policy has been to threaten the use of eminent domain to force property owners to sell and to thwart every effort towards legislative reform both in Washington and Albany.”

The Supreme Court decision in Kelo v. City of New London allowed government to seize private property on behalf of private developers and is a symbol of “abuse” of government’s eminent domain power, which was traditionally used for public projects. Since the Kelo decision, 38 states have enacted eminent domain reform legislation. New York has not done so.

Locally, a great deal of controversy about the Atlantic Yards development has revolved around the planned taking of property from owners that do not want to sell to Forest City Ratner. “The abuse of eminent domain is an abuse of our fundamental constitutional rights and must be opposed like all other attempts to violate constitutional rights,” said Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn’s Daniel Goldstein, who is fighting the attempt to take his home. His apartment sits roughly at what would be mid-court at the Barclays Center. “Our government has no business forcing us to sell our properties to benefit their developer friends,” he said.

Groups from around the city, including Willets Point in Queens, Downtown Brooklyn and West Harlem were represented at yesterday’s rally.

In the Blogs:

• $20M for Property at Driggs and Metropolitan [Brownstoner]
• Miss Heather Tells You How to Ride the B61 Bus [newyorkshitty]
• Petition Against 360 Smith Monster Development Project [423 Smith]
• Participate in the Green Brooklyn Blog [Green Brooklyn]
• Future Atlantic Yards Site as Seen from High Up in Williamsburg [Velvet Sea]
• Kobayashi Will Compete in Hot Dog Eating Contest, Manager Says [City Room]
• Haunted Church Update [Clinton Hill Blog]
• Vets That Really Care in Brooklyn [Brooklyn Enthusiast]
• Check Out the Future of Coney Island Comic [Kinetic Carnival]
• Photo Graffiti #5 [Big Sky Brooklyn]
• 100th Anniversary of Unitarian Church in Kensington [OTBKB]
• Electronics Recycling in Flatbush, 6/30-7/2 [Flatbush Gardener]
• Courtelyou Road Green Market Opens on 7/1 [Living in Victorian Flatbush]

In the Papers:

• Friction at Brooklyn Charter School [NYT]
• Zip Car Expands in Brooklyn [Brooklyn Daily Eagle]
• Drug Raid at Mo Vaughn’s Housing Complex [amNY]
• Living in Bay Ridge [amNY]
• Teen Shot & Killed on Q Train in Sheepshead Bay [Sun]
• Prospect Park Rapist Linked to Other Crimes [NYP]

If we were to bet on one idea that’s risen through the grassroots that may have a shot at seeing the light of day in a reasonable amount of time, at this point we’d be putting some money on the idea of restoring express service to Brooklyn’s F Line. Not only has the idea made the jump from being covered by Brooklyn blogs to the print media, it’s getting some political support. The latest officials to jump on the F Express are Council Members Bill de Blasio (D-Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, Kensington), Simcha Felder (D-Midwood, Bensonhurst and Boro Park) and Domenic Recchia (D-Coney Island, Gravesend, Bensonhurst). They’ll be part of an F Express rally today (6/28) with the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership and Transportation Alternatives.

An online petition for F Express service launched by Gary Reilly of Brooklyn Streets got 2,500 signatures (including ours) in two weeks. Mr. Reilly presented the petition at the MTA’s board meeting yesterday and says the idea has support on the board. The MTA has already said it would restore some express service on the F line in 2012; the push is to get it done much sooner.

The rally is at 2PM at the Church Avenue F station at Church and McDonald Avenues.

From a GL reader comes an intriguing question about big loads of construction material being driven through Williamsburg, destination unknown. To wit:

I live on Grand St. in W’burg, one of the designated truck routes through Brooklyn, and I’ve noticed that over the past several nights, there have been convoys of 3-5 oversize load flatbeds carrying these huge (I’d say 15-20 ft. diameter) prefab round steel construction pieces. I’m used to seeing oversize loads coming through at night (usually big boats or building ventilation units) but the frequency and intensity have been unusual. Anybody have any idea on what this is all about? Local construction or just driving through? Inquiring minds want to know.

The only development we can think of right now that would seem to qualify for material that large is The Edge on Kent Avenue, but that is at a very early stage of the construction process right now. Anyone with thoughts, do let us know.

“We’ve been overshadowed in recent months by other things, and we’ve got to get our strategic plan out there,” said Lynn Kelly, president of the city-funded Coney Island Development Corporation. The agency plans to step up its fundraising efforts soon for expensive projects like the restoration of the B & B Carousel, boardwalk and streetscapes. Kelly and other board members have in the past expressed concern that any apprehension about Coney Island’s future could hinder those efforts and keep visitors away during the transitional period.

The board unanimously voted to approve up to a $10,000 monthly retainer fee, for up to two years, for a marketing consultant who Kelly said could counteract that effect. The money would be paid out of the agency’s $150,000 annual consultant budget. That person would “still work in tandem with the city’s press office,” said Kelly, of the city Economic Development Corporation’s press staff.

Contrary to some perceptions that business in Coney is down, there is some sense that things are actually busier this year. There was apparently record attendance at the Mermaid Parade (it wasn’t just our imagination). Diana Carlin, AKA Lola Staar, told the Eagle that “so many people are coming because they think it’s going to be the last year…Business has just been incredible [this season].” There is a bright side to every dark cloud.

Writer Adrienne Onofri emailed to note the publication of her new book Walking Brooklyn. It’s a walking guide to Brooklyn that’s described as hitting:

Brooklyn’s most interesting and notable neighborhoods, providing a mix of information about culture, history, architecture, places to eat, venues to visit, and more. From a walk through the Russian-influenced Brighton Beach, to the expansive Prospect Park, and out to Red Hook, Walking Brooklyn reveals the many layers and sites of Manhattan’s lesser-known neighbor. This two-color book features 30 routes, a clear neighborhood map for each walk, black-and-white photographs, and critical public transportation information for every trip.

The book is from Wilderness Press and can be ordered here. We see that Ms. Onofri will be guest blogging over at Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn. We look forward to reading.

Mr. Sitt said that he had been cheered by some editorial support since the residential component of his plan was altered to include three hotels, including about 400 time share units. “I started to get beaten down,” he said of coverage of controversy about the plan, but said that editorials such as one supporting his plan that is in this week’s Brooklyn Paper “gave me some oomph.”

The Sitt contingent arrived at the United Community Baptist Church, which is at W. 27th Street and Mermaid Avenue, in four Lincoln Town Cars. The group included Mr. Sitt’s PR representatives from the Marino Organization and two large security guards who stood watch over the stage. (At the conclusion of the presentation, in fact, Mr. Sitt exited from the rear as a security guard stood ready to block anyone trying to approach the developer; he left the church after the crowd had thinned and did not speak to anyone lingering out front.)

Mr. Sitt referred to respected Coney Island historian Charles Denson of the Coney Island History Project, noting that he had been quoted as saying that Mr. Sitt “can be hero of Coney Island” if he creates a project that respects its history and avoids things like housing in the amusement zone.

“That the way I want to do Coney Island,” Mr. Sitt said.

Mr. Sitt’s presented an amicable persona to the crowd, going out of his way to make sure that audience members were recognized and insisting that everyone call him “Joe” rather than “Mr. Sitt.” At one point, he referred to the withdrawal of Takeru Kobayashi from the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest next week, but referred to the hot dog eating champ as “Hibachi.”

Mr. Sitt appeared very aware of stories that had been written about his $1.5-$2 billion redevelopment plan and returned several times to criticism it had gotten in the press, also noting that “the blogs went against us.” He said he is unwilling to build in Coney Island without full community support, media support and, even support from blogs. He said:

Unless we see support from this whole community–whether it’s the community that lives here in Coney Island or the community that operates rides…and you know what, to some degree even the blogs, you know what, respectfully, I don’t know if I want to build Coney Island.

Mr. Sitt took note of a reporter from the New York Post who was sitting in the second row and said that he hoped that his coverage of the event would be positive and said that he would go home and “pray” for good press and community support.

The developer said that while his project had to turn a profit that it was less about money than most. “This is about making the world a better place,” Mr. Sitt said. Several times he noted “We’re not going to be building a fairyland garden,” but rather a project that creates jobs and opportunities.

There was a long question and answer period after the remarks. At first, a Thor employee went through the crowd asking people to write questions on cards, but Mr. Sitt apparently rejected that approach, preferring that people directly ask questions. Most of the questions from the audience revolved around the critical community issue of jobs (Coney’s unemployment rate is double the city’s) and about the impact the development would have on existing residential neighborhoods. Mr. Sitt asked the community for “a groundswell of support” and said that “we’re working hard to partner up with the Bloomberg Administration.”

Whether or not the project goes forward, Mr. Sitt said, “really is in your hands and the support you give us or don’t give us.”

Many of the job-related questions were handled by Christopher Woods, who is developing employment plans for the community. Questions ranged from Mr. Sitt’s willingness to hire residents with criminal records (yes, he said, they would do so) to education programs (they’ll work on developing them).

Mr. Sitt said that he “hopes for a green light within 12-18 months of today to get going.” Although Thor demolished a number of attractions over the winter, Mr. Sitt said “We are trying to keep things open” including Astroland. Last week, there were reports that Mr. Sitt would only keep Astroland open for another season if the city reached an agreement with him on zoning.

“Astroland did sell the business,” he said. “Our goal is to make sure there is a similar concept there” as an interim use.

He closed by urging residents to “get the message out: Build, Joe, Build.” Not everyone was impressed by meeting, however. One well-known Coney Island leader we spoke with after the session called it “an act of desperation” to try to rally support for an embattled plan that seems to have drawn criticism from all sides.

(Kinetic Carnival, who was also in attendance, offers an image slideshow of the presentation and well as a rundown.)

Mr. Durmick, whose firm has been hired to design the project, chafed at comparisons that have been made to a “Las Vegas theme park.” He said the firm was designing an “amusement park” and that “it must be authentic Coney Island. Every theme park in the world has a pedigree that’s Coney Island.” Mr. Sitt himself several times said that “We’re not just building a fairytale garden.” He described the product as “urban, New York and Coney Island.”

In its latest iteration, the plan would divide the amusement area into several “neighborhoods.” Stillwell Avenue would serve as its main retail area. It will have an “Emporium” where visitors can buy tickets, burn photo CDs and rent lockers and strollers. It will also have “a vertical dark ride.” There will be a giant elephant fountain outside.

The feature sure to provoke discussion, however, is the planned Freakenspiele Tower (“Freakenspiele” is one of the few words that you can Google which will produce zero results.) The tower will have 40-foot LED screens on all four sides and a “launch tower ride” in the interior. It would be at the boardwalk end of Stillwell Avenue.

Halfway down Stillwell toward the boardwalk, the developer plans a performance plaza. A glass-enclosed water park would be six stories above street level. In this vision, Stillwell avenue would be transformed into a “walking promenade” with street performers, bistros, shopping and a multiplex theater. The tall buildings on the west side of Stillwell Avenue would have street fronts of four-six stories, but would rise up to 40 stories.

Mr. Durmick mentioned there would be another roller coaster in this vicinity, an “overhead steeplechase” that would be a high-speed launch roller coaster.

The Bowery (previously unpublished rendering above) was described as Coney Island’s “subculture suburb.” “This place wants to be designed by the local people,” Mr. Durmick said. “This is where the circus sideshow people would live.” The would include a high tech “Vertical Fun House” and something called the “Bizarre Bazaar,” which was described as a “sub-culture souk.” We’re not sure what a sub-culture souk is, but it sounds like it might be an attempted recreation of St. Mark’s Place in the old days.

The final element described by Mr. Durmick was Coney Island Park, the project that would replace Astroland. It would be an indoor-outdor park with 21 rides on multiple levels. It would include old school rides like the Tilt-A-Whirl as well as a new roller coaster called the Leviathan that is envisioned as looping through buildings and under the boardwalk. It would also include a 120 foot tall Aviator tower ride. W. Tenth Street would become a pedestrian area.

“We want to create a whole menus of neighborhoods and flavors because this is Coney Island,” Mr. Durmick said.

The photo below, which is courtesy of Adrian Kinloch of the blog Brit in Brooklyn, shows Mr. Durmick on the left and developer Joe Sitt at the podium on the right.

In this clip from last night’s meeting in Coney Island at which developer Joe Sitt spoke at length, Mr. Sitt notes criticism of his project on “the blogs” and in the press and says that he will not build in Coney Island if he doesn’t have support from the community and “to some degree” the blogs.

• F Train Petition Delivered to MTA [Brooklyn Streets]
• Any Bed-Stuy Blocks Vying for Greenest Title? [Bed-Stuy Blog]
• Broad Support for Domino Designation at Landmarks Hearing [Brownstoner]
• Domino Plant Plans and Landmarks Hearing [NYT]
• OTBKB’s Brooklyn Summer Guide 2007 [OTBKB]
• Thor Town Meeting Image Slide Show [Kinetic Carnival]
• A Visit to the Cobble Hill CSA Farm [BK 11201]
• Barge Pool Almost Ready [Sun]
• Five Tons of Fireworks Seized in Sheepshead Bay [NYP]
• Plans for Everyone’s Favorite PLG Eyesore [Across the Park]
• Cyclone Turns 80 [NYDN]
• Ocean Parkway Streets [Kensington Brooklyn]
• LPC Holds Meeting on Domino Complex Landmarking [Real Deal]
• Eternal Sunshine of the Shuttered Coke Bar [Bad Advice]

It is, quite frankly, a subject that deserves some examination. On Sunday, when some bloggers got together at the “Brooklyn Blogade Roadshow” at Vox Pop on Cortelyou Road, we noted that bloggers are having a tremendous impact on the flow of information about important local issues and that there are signs the coverage is beginning to influence the outcome of some issues. (Last night in Coney Island developer Joe Sitt mentioned “the blogs” several times in his remarks about his controversial project and noted that “to some degree” support from blogs would be important.) Blogs have become nothing less than the very foundation of the new architecture of information, which can be seen in dozens of stories that make their way into the print media every week from blogs (often ascribed generically to “blogs” rather than to the specific blogs that break and report the stories, if credit is given at all, but that is a different topic and story).

Not to sound overly dramatic, but it’s a little quaint to call blogging “therapy,” when what the medium is doing is nothing short of standing journalism on its head and, in the process, fundamentally changing the nature of the information that reaches people. As blogs continue to develop, blogging will democratize the entire reporting business.

Related Post:
What GL Said on BL About Blogging, Pete Hamill, Etc.