1223 Surf Avenue (credit: PropertyShark)

One Brooklyn neighborhood’s trash is another’s treasure. The New York Daily News reported that a Coney Island landlord has actually reached out to restaurant chain Hooters in hopes of bringing it to the boardwalk just three months after a Park Slope landlord rejected the wing joint’s expression of interest in renting his property. What’s more: Whereas rumors of the chain’s interest sparked outrage in Park Slope, Coney Island officials are also working to lure the restaurant. [more]

From left: Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and Childs Restaurant

A new future for the landmarked Childs Restaurant on Coney Island could be in the works. NY1 reported that city officials are in talks to convert the long-vacant property into an entertainment venue.

Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz has sought to erect an amphitheater on Coney Island for his summer concert series, NY1 said. As previously reported, Markowitz’s plan for a $64 million amphitheater in Asser Levy Seaside Park sparked opposition due to space concerns. [more]

Sheldon Silver

For the last year Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has been one of the largest obstacles to a casino opening in New York City. According to the New York Daily News, Silver has softened his stance on gambling in the city, but still won’t stand for one in Manhattan. Acknowledging the revenue generating potential of such an attraction, a source close to Silver said the speaker is open to allowing a casino in a destination area rather than in densely populated parts of the city. [more]

Coney Island boardwalk

Despite a city-encouraged facelift and a jump in visitors, Coney Island is far from the Brooklyn version of Times Square that many feared it would become. So far, park patrons told the New York Times, Coney has strayed from becoming too sanitized and “Disneyfied.”

As previously reported, the clean-up of Coney Island shed some of its gritty attractions for new rides and shops that attract tourists, family-friendly entertainment and new development. [more]

From left: Eldorado Auto Skooters, at 1216-1218 Surf Avenue and Joseph Sitt of Thor Equities

Joseph Sitt’s Thor Equities has closed on the purchase of another set of parcels of land in Coney Island, Amusing the Zillion blog reported. The sale, for $4.5 million, included two buildings: the Eldorado Auto Skooters at 1216-1218 Surf Avenue, and the arcade at 1215 Bowery. The beloved bumper cars, also called the Eldorado Auto Skooters, may continue to operate for up to a year, according to other reports from ATZ. [more]

A rendering of the unveiled Coney Island entrance (credit: NYC Economic Development Corporation)

City officials revealed a plan for a new entrance to Coney Island Beach during a Brooklyn Community Board 13 economic development committee meeting yesterday, the New York Post reported. [more]

From left: Coney Island boardwalk and Tom’s Restaurant in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn

Tom’s Restaurant, the Prospect Heights, Brooklyn favorite has signed a lease for space on the Coney Island boardwalk with Zamperla USA, the Italian outfit in charge of re-vamping the boardwalk, the New York Daily News reported.

In a reversal, Zamperla is not just courting Brooklyn staples such as Tom’s, but asking long-time Coney Island mainstays Ruby’s Bar and Paul’s Daughter, who it had previously worked to evict, to stay put. Previously, the Coney Island operator had planned to cede control over boardwalk leasing to a Miami Beach hotel and restaurant group, which drew criticism from local businesses and residents. Tom’s, the Lola Star boutique, and the Coney Island Beach Shop all signed eight-year leases with Zamperla this past Friday, the News said.
… [more]

From left: Ruby’s Bar and Grill and Paul’s Daughter

A handful of the beloved, longtime Coney Island boardwalk businesses expected to be shut down in favor of newer attractions at the end of the month got a surprise dose of new life. According to the New York Post, Ruby’s Bar and Grill and Paul’s Daughter are likely to be offered new leases by the same developer that gave them the boot.

The American arm of Italy-based Zamperla, which the Bloomberg administration has given a 10-year lease to improve the boardwalk, had tapped a Miami Beach to replace seven storefronts and operate four sit-down restaurants in a $5 million renovated rendition of the amusement strip…. [more]

The city is moving forward with its plans to replace the wood from
most of Riegelmann’s Boardwalk in Coney Island with cement or a
synthetic material, the Brooklyn Paper reported. Once the Public
Design Commission approves the plan later this month, the New York
Department of Parks & Recreation plans to first replace the wood with
concrete on the Boardwalk between Coney Island Avenue and Brighton
15th Street in Brighton Beach. Eventually, the only section that would
remain wooden are four blocks between West 10th and West 15th streets…. [more]