Coney Island Blog - By Charles Denson

Developer's rendering of the massive casino proposed for Surf Avenue at West 12th Street.

Don’t believe the dramatic renderings and gleeful promises presented by the Coney Casino developers. What they’re actually planning is the destruction of Coney Island as a beachfront amusement park destination. The massive Coney casino project is a disaster that’s way out of scale and designed to smother and kill all surrounding businesses in the amusement zone. It will destroy the fabric of the surrounding community. But the developers don’t care. They’re building a fortress of greed.

There will be a Community Board public hearing regarding the casino on Thursday, January 9, 2025 at 7 PM. The meeting will be held at the Coney Island YMCA, 2980 West 29th Street at Surf Avenue. Public comment is encouraged, in person or remotely. The meeting is in response to the casino’s application to build a “1.3 million-square-foot” gaming facility in the heart of the Coney Island community. This will be the first of many public hearings to be held before three gambling sites in and around New York City are chosen in late 2025.

The developer’s request to take over and de-map several local streets is nothing more than a greedy land grab by Thor Equities that would allow it to build a monolithic fortress, a three-block-long solid wall that will surround the amusement zone, reducing access to the beach, Boardwalk, and amusements. The project includes a 402.5-foot tall, 40-story “hotel “ on Surf Avenue that will cast a shadow over the entire neighborhood. It will create a traffic nightmare that will affect the lives of all who visit or live in the community. Emergency responders will be delayed when the streets surrounding the casino are closed and they can’t reach the beach and Boardwalk in time to save lives.

The casino plan is reminiscent of the crack epidemic of the 90s: some people made a lot of money, but it didn’t end well. Casino gambling will bring addiction, poverty, bankruptcy, domestic abuse, and mental illness. It will destroy the outdoor amusement industry. It does not belong in this community.

The political ramifications of this destructive, ill-conceived casino have become clear. Two former NYC councilmembers have already been bought and paid for by the casino developers and hired as “consultants.” A respected former journalist is now a public relations flack for the casino. Money is being spread around to buy support. If approved, a project of this size would have political clout that would in no way benefit or represent the welfare of the community.

The NYC Economic Development Corporation planted a poison pill when they rezoned Coney Island in 2009. They left the door open for a predatory speculator like Thor Equities to buy up and destroy a majority of the amusement zone. Since buying up multiple Coney Island properties more than fifteen years ago Thor has raised rents, demolished historic buildings, and allowed most of his properties to deteriorate into terrible eyesores. The casino developers have shown an unwillingness and inability to work with local businesses. The Coney Island History Project is asking the members of Community Board 13 to vote against the Coney casino.

-Charles Denson, Executive Director, Coney Island History Project

If you would like the opportunity to speak for 2 minutes, whether as a member of the community or Community Board 13 member, you MUST sign up in advance by emailing hglikman@cb.nyc.gov.

You can attend via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82717437304?pwd=YfEWyaUUJgy2HE8NFrYI64jbyuEZrb.1

Dial-In:+1 646 931 3860

Meeting ID: 827 1743 7304

Passcode: 123456

Developer's rendering of the massive casino proposed for Coney Island.

Developers of "The Coney" casino want to close West 12th Street to emergency responders (above). Photo by Charles Denson

Developers of “The Coney” casino have proposed a plan that will endanger the lives and safety of millions of visitors who come to Coney Island every summer. Coney Island is a seasonal outdoor attraction for people from all walks of life who come to enjoy free access to the ocean, beach, and Boardwalk. The  developers recently revealed their scheme to close and “demap” the three main streets in the amusement zone that connect Surf Avenue to the oceanfront.

The casino consortium made their plan public during a Zoom presentation to the City Planning Commission on June 27. They're asking the City to transform these crucial city streets into “landscaped pedestrian walkways” for the benefit of the casino and their adjacent 40-story hotel. This is a dangerous land-grab of epic proportions.

The streets that the developers want to take for the casino serve as designated “fire lanes” used by emergency vehicles such as fire trucks, police vehicles, and ambulances. If the City approves this plan, there will no longer be direct emergency access to the beach, Boardwalk, or amusements for nearly a quarter-mile stretch of the world’s most crowded beachfront.

Lacking direct access, firefighters would be forced to drag hoses for long distances to battle a fire. Medical personnel would have to roll stretchers from gridlocked Surf Avenue to reach those in need of medical attention on the beach, Boardwalk, or rides. Ladder trucks would be unable to perform rescues should a ride break down.

Millions of visitors will be put at risk if this dubious plan is approved. First responders need these access points in order to save lives. Losing vehicular access to these streets will increase response time, and lives will be lost.

Closing the streets would also limit disability parking and wheelchair accessability to the beach and Boardwalk, a clear violation of federal ADA Accessibility Standards. Amusement parks and local businesses will have their deliveries blocked, and repair vehicles and utility trucks will no longer be able to service any businesses south of Surf Avenue.

The casino demapping plan proves that the developers have no interest in public safety and no knowledge of how these streets are used. It seems as if they want to kill all the existing businesses surrounding the proposed casino. And they don’t seem to care if the rest of Coney Island burns.

The street closure would also eliminate 160 public parking spaces and transform West 12th Street into a short driveway leading to the casino’s private 1,500-car parking garage. Vehicles entering and exiting the casino garage will create a choke-point at the already overcrowded intersection of Surf Avenue and West 12th Street.

A fact ignored in all the studies and comments regarding the casino is that a nearby public school will be heavily impacted by the casino. Public School 90  is located on West 12th Street, a block north of the proposed casino. When casino traffic gridlock backs up on West 12th Street, it will have a negative impact on the school, and cause delays for parents who use cars to drop off or pick up their children at the school.

The reason for this oversight is that the City Planning Commission only studies a 400-foot radius surrounding the proposed casino, and P.S. 90 is located just beyond that radius. The safety and well-being of hundreds of young students is being ignored.

It is obvious by any measure that Coney Island is the wrong site for a massive casino-hotel project. The negatives, of which there are so many, outweigh any of the “pie-in-the-sky” benefits promised. Simple arithmetic should convince elected officials that this location will not provide the revenue or jobs that the State and City of New York expect from a casino project. 

Stillwell Avenue, West 12th Street, and West 15th are vital to the life of the amusement zone and must be kept open. These streets were cut through to the ocean in the 1920s when the beach was still private property. The City built these thoroughfares to provide access for the public to enjoy a free beach and Boardwalk.

Now the developers of “The Coney” casino want to reverse a century of free public access by privatizing public property in order to funnel visitors into an ill-conceived casino project.

This demapping plan is extremely dangerous and detrimental to all who visit Coney Island or call it home. It must be rejected.

- Charles Denson

This illustration shows the massive footprint of the proposed casino. Stillwell Avenue, West 15th Street, and West 12th Street would be closed to traffic. The developers have also asked the City to demap The Bowery and Wonder Wheel Way. There would be no vehicular emergency access to the beach and Boardwalk between West 10th Street and West 21st Street. Public School 90, located at top of map, would be severely impacted by the "The Coney" casino. Map by Charles Denson

P.S. 90 is located on West 12th Street, near the entrance to the casino's proposed 1,500 car garage. For some reason, the casino's impact on the school is being ignored. Photo from P.S. 90 website

An ambulance on West 12th Street at the Boardwalk. Developers of "The Coney" casino want to close the street to first reponders. Photo by Charles Denson

Fire trucks and ambulances on West 12th Street. This street is a fire lane that developers of "The Coney" casino want to close to build a casino. Photo by Charles Denson

The Casino's lethal plan to take over the amusement zone's streets was revealed in a June 2024 scoping meeting on zoom. The clueless attitude of "The Coney" casino developers and their consultants and lobbyists show a blatant disregard for the lives of visitors and residents in Coney Island. Screengrab from casino presentation at NYC Department of City Planning EARD (environmental review) Scoping Meeting  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T0IJBft4Rw

The beautifully restored motor yacht Nellie Bly operated by the Coney Island Steamboat Company is ready to give nautical tours.

Coney Island native Gerard Thornton has returned to his roots and launched the Coney Island Steamboat Company, based in Sheepshead Bay. Beginning Saturday, July 13, the Coney Island Steamboat Company will offer narrated history cruises along the Coney Island shoreline, from Sheepshead Bay to Gravesend Bay. 

Captain Thornton grew up in Coney Island’s O’Dwyer Gardens housing project (where I once lived) and spent his childhood watching ships and tugs at sea from his window. This fascination led to SUNY Maritime College and a thirty-year career as a tugboat captain in New York Harbor. After selling his tugboat company, Thornton Towing and Transportation, he has realized his dream of giving nautical history tours of Coney Island and Jamaica Bay. Listen to Gerard Thornton's oral history

The tour boat is a 50-foot wooden motor yacht named the Nellie Bly. The boat can accommodate up to 49 passengers. A ticket for the two-hour tour is $35 for adults and $25 for children. Veterans and seniors are $25. The tours are available Saturday and Sunday at 11 am and 2 pm. Later in the season there will be fireworks cruises on Friday night and following Cyclones games. 

Thornton named the boat Nellie Bly, in tribute to the adventurous muckraking journalist who exposed horrific conditions at the women’s insane asylum on Blackwell’s island. Bly’s 1889 trip around the world in 73 days beat the fictional account of Jules Verne’s novel Around the World in 80 Days. The boat’s name is a fitting tribute to an early pioneer of women’s rights.

"Coney Island has a remarkable and rich history," said Captain Thornton. "The Coney Island Steamboat Company (CISCo) was established to bring the sights, sounds, and history of the Brooklyn waterfront to life for passengers looking for something a little bit different. Our tours provide narrated backstory to the geography, politics and personalities that shaped the neighborhoods of Coney Island and the surrounding area. We offer a fun and exciting way to explore the southern Brooklyn shoreline in a whole new way." The Coney Island History Project will be collaborating with the Coney Island Steamboat Company to provide archival materials for the tour.

Tickets and information at: www.coneyislandsteamboat.com

-- Charles Denson

Captain Gerard (right), deckhand Tyler (left), and Thornton's son Gage (rear), aboard the Nellie Bly.

The Coney Island History Project will celebrate Coney Island’s 200th birthday on October 28th by displaying and honoring Coney Island’s oldest surviving artifact: the 200-year-old Coney Island Toll House sign that dates to 1823. Please join us! Our exhibition center at 3059 West 12th Street next to the entrance to Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park will be open on Saturday, October 28, from 1 PM – 5 PM. The rain date is Sunday, October 29. Admission is free of charge.

Coney Island first opened to the public in the summer of 1823 when a bridge and toll house were constructed at Coney Island Creek and Shell Road. Only one object from Coney Island’s humble origins has survived for two centuries. That relic is the original Coney Island Toll House sign on display at the Coney Island History Project. And for that we thank Carol Albert, co-founder of the Coney Island History Project, who rescued the sign and had it restored. 

In his film shared above and the following essay, History Project director Charles Denson tells the story of “Coney Island’s Oldest Artifact: How the Coney Island Toll House Sign Survived for 200 Years.”

Coney Island first opened to the public in the summer of 1823. A one-paragraph article buried in the August 18, 1823, New York American breezily announced the opening: “The Road and Bridge leading to this delightful island are now complete. It is open the ocean, with the finest and most regular beach we ever saw . . .” From these humble beginnings Coney Island would soon become the most famous resort in the world. 

Until 1823 there was no public access to the island. Coney Island began as “common land” shared by 39 property owners in the village of Gravesend. The island was a pristine environment known for mountainous sand dunes, a vibrant salt marsh, the sparkling beach, juniper forests, and cool ocean breezes. Coney Island Creek was a popular spot for fishing and hunting waterfowl, but before the Shell Road bridge was built, the island could only be accessed by rowboat. The Island’s only resident was Abram Van Sicklen, whose small farm was located on the creek.

In March of 1823 Gravesend formed the Coney Island Road and Bridge Company in order to provide better access to the island. Shell Road was extended one mile through a vast salt marsh to the new bridge. A wooden toll house and gate were constructed on the banks of Coney Island Creek. Gravesend resident James Cropsey was appointed to operate the Road and Bridge Company. In the first days after the road opened, toll-taker Daniel Morell counted 300 horse-drawn vehicles crossing the bridge.

A simple sign at the toll gate listed the fees to enter the island. These ranged from 5 cents for a “horse and rider” to 50 cents for a “coach drawn by horses.” The sign also listed the “Rate of Toll” for a “Coach, Carriage, Pleasure Wagon, or Sulkey.” In 1829 a wood-frame hotel opened near the toll house. Others hotels and roadhouses soon sprang up around it. By the 1830s, Coney Island had become a popular destination.

The entrance to Coney Island was picturesque, with a canopy of weeping willows shading the toll house, and verdant Coney Island Creek beside it. John Lefferts operated the bridge and tollhouse from the 1830s until 1876, when Andrew Culver bought the property for his railroad. Tolls were no longer collected and the toll house was transformed into a private residence. Culver’s Prospect Park & Coney Island Railroad was later consolidated into the New York City transit system. The F-train now follows its former route.

The toll house fell on hard times. The wooden toll sign, a curiosity from earlier times, remained attached to the toll house. The neglected creek-side structure was forgotten as it fell into disrepair. In 1929 the century-old historic building was finally demolished when Shell Road was widened and realigned. The toll sign was the only thing that was saved.

The sign’s remarkable history and provenance after the toll house was razed can be accurately traced. In 1928 the sign was removed from the toll house by ride manufacturer William Mangels Jr. and displayed in his father’s amusement museum, located one block away on West 8th Street. 

The museum soon closed for lack of interest, and most of its artifacts were sold off. The sign remained at the factory. In 1964, six years after William Mangels Sr. died, his son sold the sign to folk-art collector Frederick Fried, who was also buying up hundreds of artifacts from Steeplechase Park following the park’s closure. Fried stored his vast Coney Island collection in a barn in Vermont but kept the sign displayed on the wall of his apartment on Riverside Drive. This turned out to be fortunate for the sign. In the early 1980s, the Vermont barn burned to the ground, and Fried’s entire collection of historic Coney Island artifacts went up in flames. Fred Fried died shortly afterward. 

Fried’s estate sold the toll house sign to Nick Zervos, who kept it in his private collection. It was not seen again for decades. In 2003 I was contacted by Brooklyn antique dealer Charlie Shapiro who was a fan of my Coney Island book. He told me he had an important artifact he was selling, and asked if I was interested. He said that Nick Zervos had passed away, and his family was selling the Coney Island Toll House sign. The historic sign had finally resurfaced! I told him that I was VERY interested.

I agreed to meet Shapiro at his apartment. After small talk, we entered his kitchen and he pulled the sign out from a narrow space between his kitchen sink and the refrigerator. It was not in good shape. I asked the price and realized that it was beyond my finances but the sign had to be saved. I hated the thought of this historic object being sold into another private collection, never to be seen again. 

Soon after finding the sign, I met with Carol Albert, owner of Astroland. We were in the early days of forming the Coney Island History Project. I told Carol about the historic sign that was stuck in a dank space next to a kitchen sink and was about to be sold off. What was truly amazing is that the sign was accompanied by detailed documentation showing its removal from the toll house in 1928. Carol asked me briefly about Shapiro. I thought that was the end of the story.

Later in the week Carol told me she had something to show me. I entered her office, and there was the sign, leaning against the wall. Carol had rescued it and said that the Albert Family was donating it to the History Project. 

The fragile sign was in a deteriorated state and needed professional restoration before returning to Coney Island. The wood was severely rotted, crumbling, and insect damaged. The sign was in such poor condition that it could not be safely handled or displayed. Carol arranged for a professional restoration, which included new backing, thermoplastic resin injected into the damaged wood, and highlighting the faded lettering with a reversible transparent wash. Ultraviolet light and infrared photography revealed no hidden lettering.

Following the restoration the Toll House Sign was put on display at the History Project, just a few blocks from where it first greeted travelers 200 years ago. The sign’s importance is symbolic. It represents the endurance, continuity, and resiliency of Coney Island. It is the only object that was there at the beginning, the only link to the origins of the World’s Playground.