New York has been looking for ways to rejuvenate the area surrounding its historic Coney Island boardwalk themepark. This article from the Gotham Gazette says the city should use the opportunity to create a model for sustainable development.
"As New Yorkers warmed up on Coney's beaches, the administration threw cold water on the proposal to speed up the rides and bring in hotels and time-shares. Thor's scaled-back plan, which included a glass-enclosed water park, three hotels and 400 time-share units, restaurants, movie theaters and high-tech arcades, was a bit much even for a city administration that likes to think big."
"Now the question is whether the city can come up with an alternative that helps to sustain and build up what is left of the storied amusement area. Will they be able to do it without a mega-developer like Thor? And will the city continue to react to the schemes put forth by private developers rather than coming up with ideas of its own?"
"As incongruous as it might seem, Coney Island, with its honky-tonk image, could become a model of sustainable development."
FULL STORY: Making Coney Island Green
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