Coney Island is also a residential neighborhood; like the amusement area, brimming with potential, but lacking in opportunities.

• The unemployment rate in Coney Island is more than twice as high as the rest of the city.
• Much of the housing stock in Coney Island is subsidized through government programs, and one in six residents lives in a NYCHA development; the area lacks a diversity of housing and offers few options to current or prospective residents.
• The commercial development boom that has benefited surrounding neighborhoods in recent years has largely missed Coney Island; the neighborhood still lacks basic retail and services, such as bookstores, groceries, and sit-down restaurants.
• Long-vacant lots and seasonally-shuttered businesses have contributed to a decreased quality of life in much of the Coney Island neighborhood; lapses in infrastructure point to a clear need for both private and public investment under a comprehensive plan for neighborhood improvement.

In September 2003, the Mayor, the City Council and the Brooklyn Borough President formed the Coney Island Development Corporation (CIDC) to spearhead and implement a comprehensive planning process for Coney Island and create a coordinated economic development strategy for the area.

After a long public outreach process, in September 2005, the CIDC released the Coney Island Strategic Plan, which outlined key goals:

• Year-round activity through new entertainment, retail and mixed-income residential.
• Enhanced amusement and seaside resort attractions.
• A vibrant neighborhood with activity and opportunities for everyone.

For detailed information on The Strategic Plan, please visit the CIDC website.

The key initiative that developed out of the Strategic Plan is a 19-block rezoning of the center of Coney Island, stretching roughly from the New York Aquarium to West 24th Street and from Mermaid Avenue to the Boardwalk. An antiquated zoning designation in this area had permitted only low density, outdoor amusement uses and excludes complimentary uses, such as sit-down restaurants and cafés, which can support and enhance the amusement uses.  Taking its cues from the Strategic Plan, the Department of City Planning worked to define a current, more suitable zoning that would reflect and advance the goals for Coney Island.  In July 2009, the New York City council, by a vote of 44-2, approved the rezoning, paving the way for the revitalization of Coney Island in the years to come.

The Rezoning Plan establishes a 27-acre amusement area between KeySpan Park and the New York Aquarium, striking a balance between the preservation of Coney’s history and the development of a year-round future. Density and height limits, building orientation requirements and the mapping of 9 acres as parkland, will ensure views, contextual transitions and the permanency of amusements. At the same time, the plan encourages new, visionary forms of entertainment such as dark rides and virtual reality games, and complimentary uses such as sit-down restaurants, bars, hotels, event spaces, concert halls, movie theaters and bowling alleys.

To the north of Surf Avenue and west of KeySpan Park, the zoning changes will foster 4,000 to 5,000 new units of housing and 500,000 square feet of new neighborhood retail. The City’s Inclusionary Zoning program (being used for the first time in South Brooklyn) will facilitate the production of approximately 900 units of affordable housing. 

For detailed information on the proposed rezoning, please visit the Department of City Planning website.

Draft Environmental Impact Statement

Since the Coney Island Strategic Plan was released in 2005, the City has progressed on several notable capital projects:

• Selection of Coney Island Commons LLC to develop more than 100 units of affordable housing and a 40,000-square-foot community center to be operated by the YMCA of Greater New York in western Coney Island
• Acquisition of the historic B&B Carousell for restoration by a specialist who will return the 50-horse carousel to its former grandeur
• Refurbishing and relighting the iconic Parachute Jump, with the support of the Borough President
• Beginning to design Steeplechase Plaza, a new pedestrian plaza linking the amusement area with the western Coney Island and the Boardwalk, which will feature a performance green and space for potential activities such as a skate park or water feature. The inviting new public space will also become home to the restored B&B Carousell.
• Developing designs for various capital improvements including attractive streetscapes, new open spaces, and improved parking and transportation solutions. Over $100 million in public funds has been committed to the Coney Island area since 2005.
  

CIDC and the City are committed to engaging the community in the development process, and working to expand their opportunities to improve their neighborhood. Outreach activities have included:

• The first Annual Coney Island Student Writing Competition, with the theme, “My Vision for the Future of Coney Island”.
• A series of Job Readiness Workshops
• The Coney Island Career Opportunities Fair
• Partnerships with the Brooklyn Cyclones and local community-based organizations

On November 13, 2009, NYCEDC released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for amusement and entertainment operators for approximately 6.5 acres of property in the heart of the Coney Island amusement district.  The release of the RFP came upon the announcement of an agreement between NYCEDC and the predominant land owner in Coney Island, Thor Equities, for NYCEDC’s purchase of the property.

The sites are centrally located in the amusement area and will be an integral part of Coney Island’s rebirth.  NYCEDC is looking for an outstanding respondent to operate an amusement park and/or ancillary entertainment uses on the sites for a term of up to ten years.  The deadline for responses to this RFP has passed.