Landmarks Preservation Commission Puts Coney Island Amphitheater Project In The Green

Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz’s dream of putting a multi-purpose amphitheater in Coney Island cleared a major hurdle this week when the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission voted unanimously to approve the plan. The New York Daily News is reporting that the Commission gave approval to transform the Childs Restaurant (West 21st Street), which is landmarked, into a community arts center and seaside Park.

As we’ve previously reported, the project, which costs an estimated $53 million, will transform Childs Restaurant into a 5,000 seat concert hall with space for an additional 2,000 people on the adjacent lawn. Here is a list detailing the expected changes:

• The design plan will remain true to the original Childs Restaurant and will restore the classical Greek, Spanish and maritime influenced architecture along the exterior and rooftop of the building.
• A hole will be knocked in the side of the restaurant to create room for a stage.
• The land surrounding the space will be manicured into a park that will also allow for 5,000 seat viewing capacity when shows are put on.
• During the spring and summer, the semi-circular stage will be set underneath a removable mesh roof.
• There will be a high end restaurant and cafe that will operate year round. The restaurant will also feature an open-air section on the roof like the original Childs Restaurant.
• The surrounding empty lots around West 22nd Street will be converted into parks, lawns, gardens and provide a space for private concessions.

Markowitz tapped his inner showman in expressing praise at the Commission’s decision.

“The (Commission) has taken a major step towards ensuring that rain or shine, the show will go on in Coney Island,” Markowitz said in a statement.

Fredrick Bland, an official from the Landmarks Commission was apparently bowled over by Markowitz’s plan.

“It’s really a very creative, clever solution,” Bland said.

Speaking of ‘bland,’ something has to be said about the mock-up of the proposed amphitheater pictured above. This is either one of the worst Photoshop jobs ever thrown together or a representation of how boring this structure might look from the outside when it is expected to be completed in 2015. I suppose time will tell on how the building actually turns out, but right now it looks pretty ugly.