Trying to Read the Coney Island Tea Leaves: Astroland as "Icon of Democracy"

The Great Coney Island Mystery of what the Bloomberg Administration will allow to be built and where it can go up, should be solved shortly. In the meantime, the guessing game continues. Yesterday, City Planning Commissioner Amanda Burden--who has famously traded words with developer Joe Sitt over the future of Coney Island--said some interesting things that leave its future as clouded in mystery as they were before she spoke. Daily Intelligencer ran an item yesterday headlined "Astroland Saved!" and conveyed the following:

Planning Commissioner Amanda Burden told a roomful of civic heavyweights this morning that the city is weeks away from announcing a rezoning plan that will "save the amusement park, an icon of democracy which is beloved by the whole world." She continued: "The strategy will catalyze a new park which will be open year-round...and housing, in the right place."

Mayor Bloomberg is also quoted saying in a speech that rezoning will "take full advantage of the wonderful new subway terminal at Stillwell Avenue."

Gotham Gazette's Wonkster included a post that noted that "the mayor soon will announce a plan to preserve the amusement park, making it a year-round attraction, and coupling it with “entertainment and housing in the right location.”

While we love that Astroland is now "icon of democracy," none of the comments shed light on which way the zoning recommendations will go. The guessing game should be over very soon, however.