Coney bank, Shore Hotel to be demolished

Bank of Coney Island (left) and the Shore

Even inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places earlier this summer was not enough to save some of Coney Island’s oldest buildings from destruction. Demolition applications for the Bank of Coney Island and the Shore Hotel — both owned by Thor Equities — were approved last week, according to the city Department of Buildings, the Wall Street Journal reported. The pending demolition of these structures is the latest setback for community groups that tried to have the buildings preserved as landmarks. The Bank of Coney Island, built in 1923, has been vacant since 1997. The Shore Hotel, built in 1903, was operated as a hotel up until two years ago. Thor Equities, led by Joe Sitt, plans to replace the bank and hotel with temporary buildings that will be ready at the start of the 2011 summer season. Though Coney Island’s boardwalk was revitalized this summer with the opening of Luna Park, Surf Avenue and many of the neighborhood businesses continue to struggle and fear that they will be evicted. [WSJ]