Swaying Astrotower Forces Evacuation, But Deemed To Pose No Immediate Threat

The Astrotower, which is known to all observant Coney Island regulars to sway in the wind at times, was swaying a little more than usual yesterday, spooking Luna Park patrons and forcing an evacuation of the area. The New York Times reported that police and firefighters cordoned off an area surrounding the tower so engineers could perform an inspection.

Luna Park was closed, as was the Cyclone, Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park, and a broad stretch of Surf Avenue. FDNY responded promptly, then called in Department of Buildings engineers to inspect. The engineers, however, took hours to arrive, leaving would-be parkgoers to stand around and scratch their heads, and perhaps send out a few panicked tweets.

The 272-foot tall tower has stood tall over the Coney Island boardwalk since the early 1960s, once giving passengers a ride to the top in the “big bagel in the sky” observation apparatus. Now the tower stands as a sort of ornamental remnant of an era when interest in all things outer-space dominated the popular consciousness. The tower, according to “unofficial mayor of Coney Island” Dick Zigun, sways all the time.

“Maybe six times a year it sways to the point where it would shock you if you didn’t know better,” Zigun told the Daily News.

Yeshiva World News was the first to dig up this 2010 YouTube video, showing the Astrotower doing just that:

Apparently, the sight of the swaying tower spooked nervous patrons, unfamiliar with the attraction’s semi-normal behavior, into calling authorities.

DOB reps said Tuesday night that they found no immediate risk of danger or instability, but were continuing to evaluate the structure anyway. It was previously inspected just after Superstorm Sandy, and the donut-shaped observation deck was removed after a window panel fell off during the storm.