Coney News: Lola Staar's New Shop and Roller Rink (?) + Carl Kruger's Parking Lot Fight

Things may be literally quiet in Coney Island except for the barking of guard dogs, but there is activity to report. Entrepreneur Lola Staar, who was almost forced from her boardwalk shop last year by developer Joe Sitt, has sent out an email announcement saying that she will be opening a "new boutique in Coney Island this spring! Our second Coney Island shop will be located inside the sparkling new, fabulously renovated Stillwell Avenue Subway station!" The fascinating part of Ms. Staar's email however is this:

Another, even more exciting dream is in the works for 2008. A preliminary manifestation of Lola's dream to build a Roller Rink in Coney Island may take place this summer! We will keep you updated as Lola's exciting dream unfolds!

A "preliminary manifestation" that "may take place this summer"? We understand that to mean a temporary roller skating facility for the summer. Will it be on city-owned property? On the land that Mr. Sitt cleared last winter that it now sitting unused and vacant? In the meantime, State Sen. Carl Kruger held a press conference on Friday to say that there would have to be a long environmental review process before the city could "alienate" (or de-park) 9.6 acres of land next to KeySpan Park that currently is classified as a park. (In reality, it's a parking lot, plus the ugly and underused Abe Stark Ice Rink.) More thoughts on whether an environmental impact study will be needed to change the status of a baseball stadium parking lot from "park" to land for development, tomorrow.

[Image courtesy of Lola Staar]