In crafting its Strategic Plan for Coney Island, the city made a commitment to “restore and construct historic and new features to anchor new development and preserve Coney Island’s character.” The Surf Avenue buildings certainly embody that historic character and surely merit preservation. They were the first sights of Coney Island viewed by tens of millions of visitors disembarking at the Stillwell Avenue subway station in the ’20s, ’30s and every decade since. They mark Coney Island as a historic destination. They have the potential to become economic assets to anchor Coney Island’s resurgence and draw tourists to an expanded amusement district. The city should do all it can to preserve them.

Come to the festival premier of Last Summer at Coney Island, a wonderful documentary about Astroland’s last summer of operation.

WHERE – Tribeca Cinemas; 54 Varick St (Ace Film Festival)
WHEN – Saturday, August 21, at 3:20

Following the screening, there will be a Q&A w/ filmmakers and special guests.

** Save Coney Island will be there after the event to discuss our various initiatives and how you can get involved.

Thor Equities appears to have begun demolition work on Coney Island’s historic Henderson Music Hall building, apparently without receiving any permits and without taking appropriate safety measures.

Workers were seen and photographed this morning (Monday August 16) on the building’s roof using mechanical equipment to remove bricks from the top of the façade of the 1899 Henderson Music Hall, where Harpo Marx made his stage debut with his brothers Groucho and Gummo.

Thor does not appear to have acquired any permits for this sort of work. According to the New York City Department of Buildings website, no new permits have been issued for the Henderson building in the past several years.

Moreover, there was no scaffolding or sidewalk shed present to protect pedestrians during the demolition work.

While no permits appear to have been issued for the Henderson Music Hall, Thor did receive demolition permits on Friday, August 13, for two other historic Coney Island buildings: the Bank of Coney Island (a 1923 classical revival building that testifies to Coney’s past prosperity) and the Shore Hotel (built in 1903 and Coney Island’s last operating hotel).

Thor’s demolition work comes only days after the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation issued a determination that Coney Island’s amusement district meets the criteria for inclusion on the State and National Register of Historic Places. The State’s August 12th Determination of Eligibility explicitly named these endangered structures as being among the historic district’s “key buildings.”

While this Determination of Eligibility does not protect the buildings within the district from demolition, inclusion on the Registers of Historic Places could make grants and tax credits of up to 40% available for redevelopment projects that rehabilitate and reuse historic properties in the amusement area.

“We urge Thor to immediately halt its demolition work and preserve these historic buildings, and we urge the City to make sure that Thor abides by the law,” said Save Coney Island spokesman Juan Rivero.

“Preservation and reuse make economic sense,” Rivero added. “Rather than squander Coney Island’s unique historic assets, let’s find a way to take advantage of the economic incentives for the rehabilitation of these structures, which are vital to the successful redevelopment of the area.”

The Municipal Art Society, the Landmarks Conservancy, the Historic Districts Council and Borough President Marty Markowitz have all supported the preservation of these endangered buildings.

UPDATE: Amusing the Zillion reported on August 19:

This morning at 5:30 am, Thor Equities work crew continued demo and asbestos abatement work on the doomed Henderson Building across from Nathan’s in good old Coney Island. A few courageous photographers ventured out to document the worksite, despite the fact that one was threatened by a worker who tried to grab his camera on Tuesday. Now it’s safety in numbers! The above photo of the Bowery side of the Henderson Building arrived via email just after 6 am. We asked the photographer: what were they doing to the awnings? The answer was “they were tearing them down.” This appears to be the case if you look at the photo below taken 3-1/2 hours later of the same scene. Unfortunately the DOB has to see the violations happening and photographic evidence seems to count for nothing.

Since photos of Thor’s workers hammering away at the Henderson Building were posted on Monday, Coney Island’s Community Board 13 has questioned the Dept of Buildings (no permits have been issued for demolition) and Dept of Environmental Protection (a permit for asbestos abatement has been issued, though it was not displayed at the worksite). It appears that public scrutiny has led the crew to beef up their asbestos safety procedures. In the first photo, for example, there’s a sheet of material covering the sidewalk, which was not the case on Monday.

In an August 12 letter, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation wrote that “the historic core of Coney Island appears to meet the criteria for listing to the Registers as a historic district.” While this Determination of Eligibility does not protect the buildings within the district from demolition, inclusion on the registers of historic places could make grants and tax credits of up to 40% available for redevelopment projects that rehabilitate and reuse historic properties in the amusement area.

The letter arrives at a time when many of Coney Island’s most historically significant buildings are in imminent danger of demolition, with developer Thor Equities receiving a pair of demolition permits the day after the state issued its letter.

“The state’s findings powerfully affirm the tremendous historical significance of Coney Island’s amusement district and underscore the imperative to preserve its endangered heritage,” said Juan Rivero, spokesman for Save Coney Island. “They also offer a new economic impetus for historic preservation by offering the possibility of tax credits and grants for redevelopment that honors rather than demolishes Coney Island’s rich history.”

The state’s findings were issued in response to an application submitted by Coney Island USA, Save Coney Island, the Coney Island History Project, the Historic Districts Council and the New York City Landmarks Conservancy. The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation supported the applicants’ efforts to secure the historic district designation and promised its assistance in further developing the nomination.

The Determination of Eligibility states that the amusement district is “nationally significant… as the birthplace of the modern American amusement industry.” It also claims that the area’s surviving historic buildings are “valuable cultural assets worthy of recognition and consideration in preservation planning.”

“The only thing surprising about this acknowledgment is that it hadn’t happened already,” said Simeon Bankoff, executive director of the Historic Districts Council. “Everyone in the country knows about Coney Island; it’s only appropriate that its place in American history is officially recognized.”

Meanwhile, developer Thor Equities is moving forward with its plans to demolish four of Coney Island’s most historically significant buildings. On Monday, August 13, Thor began the Henderson Music Hall (built circa 1899 and where Harpo Marx made his stage debut).

On Friday August 13 demolition permits were issued for two of Thor’s properties, the Bank of Coney Island (a 1923 classical revival building that testifies to Coney’s past prosperity) and the Shore Hotel (built in 1903 and Coney Island’s last operating hotel). The other two threatened structures are the amusement district’s oldest building, the Grashorn Building (built in the 1880s), and The state office’s letter explicitly cites each of these buildings as being among historic district’s “key buildings.”

The state’s findings echo 11 leading historians of New York City who have called for the creation of a Coney Island historic district, and who urged the preservation of these endangered buildings. Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and the Municipal Art Society have also called for the preservation of these endangered buildings.

“Coney Island’s rich history is its greatest economic asset, a top draw for visitors, and the key to its successful redevelopment,” said Save Coney Island’s Juan Rivero. “Preservation makes good economic sense. The state’s findings offer additional economic incentives for the reuse and rehabilitation of Coney Island’s historic structures.”

“We urge Thor Equities to halt its demolition before it does permanent damage to a national treasure,” Rivero added. “Thor has the opportunity to emerge as a hero out of this process by sitting down with the city, the Coney Island community, and preservationists to devise a redevelopment plan that utilizes, rather than squanders, these precious historic resources and valuable economic assets. Let’s redevelop Coney Island the right way.”

There has been such interest in our walking tour of Coney Island’s historic buildings, that we’ve decided to keep doing them.

The next one will be this Sunday. The guided tour will cover all the historic buildings along Surf Avenue, as well as some of Coney’s existing landmarks. Learn more about Coney Island’s rich history, the importance of preserving it, and what Save Coney Island is doing to protect what remains of this extraordinary heritage.

WHEN – Sunday, August 8th at 11:00 am
FREE! (but suggested donation of $10 appreciated.)

Join Save Coney Island for a stroll down Surf Avenue in which we will discuss Coney Island’s surviving historic buildings. Unfortunately, several of these buildings are threatened with imminent demolition. These include Henderson’s Music Hall, where Harpo Marx first performed with his brothers Groucho and Gummo, and the Grashorn Building, Coney Island’s oldest structure.

We will have historic pictures so we can see what the buildings once were; and a few renderings illustrating how these buildings could be creatively restored and reused. This will be a great opportunity to find out more about the corridor that we hope will remain the historic core of a spectacular 21st-century Coney Island that honors the area’s heritage.

Download an online-version of the map on the map page of our website.

CONTRIBUTE to help us pay for the printing of this map to make it available to the public for FREE!

Among the endangered buildings are several dating back more than a century, including both the amusement district’s oldest building and the music hall where Harpo Marx first performed with his brothers Groucho and Gummo.

“We believe that these historic buildings should be preserved, restored and reused,” the historians write. “Together, these buildings and other historic structures could serve as a historic core for a new 21st-century amusement district, tying Coney Island’s future to its rich past.”

Signatories to the letter include Pulitzer Prize-winning historians Edwin Burrows and Mike Wallace (“Gotham”), official Brooklyn Borough Historian Ron Schweiger, New York architectural historian Francis Morrone, and leading Coney Island historians Charles Denson, Michael Immerso and John Kasson.

“Coney Island is an American treasure,” the historians conclude. “We must not allow its most valuable asset, its history, to be erased.”

The letter was released last week and sent to the chairman of the Landmarks Preservation Commission, Robert Tierney.

A coalition of Coney Island groups and leading preservationist organizations, including the Historic Districts Council, the New York Landmarks Conservancy, Coney Island USA and Save Coney Island have supported an effort to create a Coney Island Historic District. The Municipal Art Society and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz have also urged the preservation of the buildings now threatened with demolition by Thor.

Despite a recent letter from a staffer at the Landmarks Preservation Committee saying that the proposed historic district would not be referred to the full commission for consideration, Save Coney Island has vowed to continue the fight to protect Coney Island’s endangered heritage.

In recent weeks, Save Coney Island has mounted a sustained effort to protect Coney Island’s endangered historic buildings. On May 29, opening day of the new Luna Park, Save Coney Island led a walking tour highlighting Coney Island’s endangered history. On June 1, Save Coney Island issued renderings of what two of Coney Island’s endangered historic buildings would look like if they were preserved, restored and reused as part of a revitalized, 21st-century Coney Island. On June 2, the Daily News published an op-ed from Save Coney Island arguing that “preservation and redevelopment need not be at odds.”

“The architectural significance of the individual buildings should not be the only criteria for preservation. The surviving buildings along Surf Avenue, including Henderson’s Music Hall and the Grashorn Building embody Coney Island’s rich past.  The design renderings prepared for Save Coney Island demonstrate that these historic structures can be restored in a way that complements Coney Island’s revival,” said historian Michael Immerso, author of “Coney Island: The People’s Playground.”

“For the City’s goal of making Coney Island a year-round tourist destination to succeed, there must authentic landmarks from Coney’s past preserved to anchor the new amusement district,” Immerso added. “Something must be done to prevent the demolition of the buildings.  Mayor Bloomberg should immediately intervene.”

The full text of historians’ letter is after the jump:

Dear Chairman Tierney,

We are writing as historians, scholars and chroniclers of New York City, Brooklyn and Coney Island to urge you to take immediate action to protect and preserve the historic heritage of Coney Island’s amusement district.

Coney Island is a place of great national historic significance. It is the birthplace of the modern American amusement industry. Yet, as Coney Island USA founder Dick Zigun has noted: “There’s more left of ancient Rome than turn-of the century Coney Island.”

Today, many of Coney Island’s few remaining historic buildings are in danger. Developer Thor Equities has announced that it plans to immediately begin demolishing the buildings it owns along the south side of Surf Avenue.

Among the structures believed to be in imminent danger are:

• The Grashorn Building (built in the 1880s), the Coney Island amusement district’s oldest surviving building.
• The Henderson Music Hall Building (built circa 1899), where Harpo Marx first publicly performed with his brothers Groucho and Gummo.
• The Shore Hotel (built in 1903), Coney Island’s last surviving small hotel
• The Bank of Coney Island Building (built in 1923), a classical revival structure that testifies to Coney Island’s past prosperity.

We believe that these historic buildings should be preserved, restored and reused. Together, these buildings and other historic structures could serve as a historic core for a new 21st-century amusement district, tying Coney Island’s future to its rich past.

We urge you to listen to the Municipal Art Society, which recently stated: “…much of the public appeal of Coney Island lies in its heritage, and there is great public support for preserving the best of Coney’s past while building new buildings and rides on the acres of vacant land that currently exist. MAS believes that steps should be taken to protect the historic buildings that remain at Coney, including those that are threatened by demolition this summer.”

We urge you immediately to consider these endangered buildings individually for landmarking. We also urge you to support a Coney Island landmark district that would include these and other historic buildings along the Surf Avenue corridor.

Coney Island is an American treasure. We must not allow its most valuable asset, its history, to be erased.

Thomas Bender

University Professor of the Humanities and Professor of History, New York University

Michele H. Bogart

Professor of Art, SUNY Stony Brook

“Politics of Urban Beauty: New York and Its Art Commission”

Edwin Burrows

Co-author, “Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898”

(Winner of 1999 Pulitzer Prize in History)

Distinguished Professor of History, Brooklyn College

Charles Denson

“Coney Island: Lost and Found”

Richard Haw

“The Brooklyn Bridge: A Cultural History”

Associate Professor of English, John Jay College

Michael Immerso

“Coney Island: The People’s Playground”

John Kasson

“Amusing the Million: Coney Island at the Turn of the Century”

Professor of History and American Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Francis Morrone

“An Architectural Guidebook to Brooklyn”

Barnet Schecter

“The Battle for New York”

Ron Schweiger

Brooklyn Borough Historian

Mike Wallace

Co-author, “Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898”

(Winner of 1999 Pulitzer Prize in History)

Distinguished Professor of History, CUNY Graduate Center

Institution names are for identification purposes only.

There has been such interest in our walking tour of Coney Island’s historic buildings, that we’ve decided to keep doing them.  So if you missed the first one, you get another chance…

The next one will be this Sunday. The guided tour will cover all the historic buildings along Surf Avenue, as well as some of Coney’s existing landmarks. Learn more about Coney Island’s rich history, the importance of preserving it, and what Save Coney Island is doing to protect what remains of this extraordinary heritage.

WHEN – Sunday, June 13th at 11:00 am
FREE! (but suggested donation of $10 appreciated.)

Join Save Coney Island for a stroll down Surf Avenue in which we will discuss Coney Island’s surviving historic buildings. Unfortunately, several of these buildings are threatened with imminent demolition.  These include Henderson’s Music Hall, where Harpo Marx first performed with his brothers Groucho and Gummo, and the Grashorn Building, Coney Island’s oldest structure.

We will have historic pictures so we can see what the buildings once were; and a few renderings illustrating how these buildings could be creatively restored and reused. This will be a great opportunity to find out more about the corridor that we hope will remain the historic core of a spectacular 21st-century Coney Island that honors the area’s heritage.