Posted Nov 2, 2015, 3:13 PM
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New Yorker for life
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Borough of Jersey
Posts: 52,784
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http://nypost.com/2015/09/28/city-to...minent-domain/
City to seize and rebuild Coney Island property through eminent domain
By Rich Calder
September 28, 2015
Quote:
Frustrated by stubborn Coney Island landowners, the de Blasio administration plans to seize property under the city’s rarely used power of eminent domain in order to spur long-stalled economic development in the People’s Playground, The Post has learned.
The Parks Department plans to create new amusements and other amenities by grabbing up three vacant beachfront sites through condemnation proceedings — including a 60,000-square-foot tract that once housed the original Thunderbolt roller coaster immortalized in Woody Allen’s 1977 film “Annie Hall,” officials said.
Reviving Coney Island is considered one of Bloomberg’s legacy projects, but he vowed never to use eminent domain to speed the process up — even when his plans were held up for years by heated real-estate negotiations with local developer Joe Sitt.
The city ultimately only moved forward with building Luna Park and other new attractions after it agreed in November 2009 to shell out a staggering $95.6 million to Sitt for nearly seven acres of prime amusement-district property.
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http://nypost.com/2015/10/20/city-pl...ublic-hearing/
City plan to seize Coney Island land supported at public hearing
By Rich Calder
October 20, 2015
Quote:
The city’s plan to seize about 75,000 square feet of land in Coney Island won some key support Monday at a public hearing where even those who oppose eminent domain in principle said it is finally time to put long-dormant property to better use.
“We believe this project is critical for the long-term sustainability of Coney Island,” said Adriana Scotti, vice president of economic development for the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.
The owners of the old Thunderbolt site didn’t attend the hearing.
But the owner of the lone active lot called it an “abuse of power.”
“My property has been home to a business for the past 100 years without interruption. There is no blight,” said Carol Murray, owner of a targeted 9,000-square-foot parcel now occupied by the spinning Polar Express and other rides.
Dick Zigun, who runs the world-famous Coney Island USA and Circus Sideshow, later said he sympathizes with Murray but believes eminent domain is necessary because it will finally give the city land it needs to build a promised grand walkway connecting three landmarks: the Cyclone roller coaster, Wonder Wheel and Parachute Jump.
“Carol, I’m sorry you are losing your property, but I hope you get rich and make a lot of money,” by selling the land to the city, Zigun said.
Councilman Mark Treyger, who represents neighborhood, and other city officials said they still hope to work with Murray and the other landowners so the city can buy the property and avoid condemnation.
Murray afterwards said she’d listen to offers but is also considering taking legal steps to fight the land grab.
The city Parks Department will accept written testimony on the plan until November 2.
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