NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – Mayor Eric Adams announced Friday plans to build 1,500 new homes and invest in the reconstruction of the historic Riegelmann Boardwalk in Coney Island, Brooklyn.
In addition, the city will fund new streets, sewers, and public space improvements, including a $42 million renovation of the Abe Stark Sports Center, according to Adams.
“Coney Island is America’s playground — home to iconic venues and parks, countless small businesses, and a hard-working community,” Adams said in a statement. “Our administration is advancing a vision to turn this waterfront district into a great place to live, work, and play, contributing to making New York City the best place to raise a family.”
The NYCEDC issued an 80,000-square-foot city-owned site on Surf Avenue, just west of the Coney Island Amusement District. The development will include over 500 mixed-income homes, with 25% designated as affordable housing, along with ground-floor retail.
The city will also renovate the Abe Stark Sports Center and upgrade the Coney Island boardwalk with new streets, utilities, and a new entrance with signage. Improvements will include better ice-skating facilities and other amenities, according to the release. The boardwalk’s reconstruction will happen in phases and include coastal resilience features like elevation.
The project started with two affordable housing buildings, Surf Vets Place (2019) and Raven Hall (2022). Another, Luna Green, is now being built, and a fourth is in the planning stage. New streets, Ocean Way and Parachute Way, will be added, along with ground-floor shops and services for the neighborhood.
In case of extreme weather, the city is working to advance a series of shoreline enhancements along Coney Island Creek to protect against rising sea levels and the impacts of climate change.
“Coney Island is a historic, one-of-a-kind amusement district that offers fun for all ages, and we are thrilled to transform the area into a place where New Yorkers can live, learn, work, and play year-round,” New York City Economic Development (NYCEDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball said. “The projects underway in Coney Island West will bring hundreds of new, affordable homes to the community, and it helps deliver on the mayor’s commitment to consider all publicly owned lots for new housing development.”