A city led effort to revitalize Coney Island's famous boardwalk and amusements, started amid much angst from longtime business owners, has managed to achieve a delicate balance somewhere between Disney and seedy, writes Joseph Berger.
As the birthplace of the American amusement industry (and the hot dog!), Coney Island is sensitive to its history and its place as an accessible refuge for the full spectrum of classes, colors, and cultures that make up New York's exotic melting pot. So when the city of New York, and a new amusement partner Central Amusements, began efforts to refurbish Coney Island a few years ago, many were guarded about the aims and outcomes of such an effort.
"Skeptics who feared that replacing or freshening the woebegone Boardwalk
shops, restaurants and rides would mean the Disneyfication of Coney
Island - a swapping of its distinctive sizzle for a more standardized
glitz - may have to wait awhile to see their fears realized," writes Berger. "While the
overhaul engineered by the city is evident throughout the seaside
neighborhood, Coney Island has so far avoided becoming too sanitized and
tidy, many patrons say."
Granted, the revitalization that has taken place thus far is a long way from the extravagant $1.5 billion makeover planned by developer Joseph Sitt as recently as three years ago, which would have dramatically changed the area. While Coney Island enthusiasts were right to fear the encroaching transformation of Coney Island that Sitt's plan promised, the recent effort, "has been developed in a manner consistent with Coney Island's history," said Seth W. Pinsky, president of the Economic Development Corporation.
FULL STORY: Coney Island, Renewed but Recognizable

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie