Landmark Shmandmark
The Grasshorn Building, Coney Islands oldest standing structure, and its 108-year-old Henderson Building, once a Vaudeville Theatre, are among the historic sites slated for destruction when Thor Equities redevelopment turns Astroland into a $1.5 billion [shiny new Vegas-style resort]. And it doesnt look like objectors are having any luck stopping the wrecking ball.
amNewYork reported today that Dick Zigun, founder of [Coney Island USA]a non-profit arts organization that runs several of Coney Islands greatest attractions including the annual Mermaid Paradeand Thor chief executive Joseph Sitt reached a [preliminary agreement](http://www.amny.com/news/local/am-coney0725,0,6754653.story?coll=am-local-headlines) as far back as last year to purchase the Grasshorn for $2 million in city grant money. Zigun had planned to move the Coney Island Museum to the site, but now says that Sitt broke off the talks last month and refuses to sell either building. Poor Zigun, led on like a virgin junior-high-schooler for a year and a half and then left broken-hearted. He will not sell me any of those buildings because he intends to knock down every old building that Thor owns and only develop new buildings and not really be involved with any type of preservation efforts, Zigun told the paper.
Coney Island USA tried a second strategy: nominating the two buildings, along with four others in the area, for designation as historical landmarks in order to save them from the axe; but that didnt work either. The organization has reportedly been told unofficially that the structures have been altered too significantly over the years to qualify, leaving the buildings fate solely in Thors hands.
Maybe Zigun would have had better luck trying to save a swimming pool or maybe a historic house in the area. Yesterday, [three pools]the [McCarren Park Pool](www.mccarrenpark.com/) in Greenpoint, as well as the Sunset Play Center in Brooklyn and the Thomas Jefferson Play Center in East Harlem, all built in 1936were granted landmark status by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Plus, two 20th century townhouses on 56th between Fifth and Sixth and two Federal-style, brick-clad row houses on Greenwich between Spring and Canal Streets also earned the designation.
Photo courtesy of [Bob Jagendorf on Flickr]