These photographs of Coney Island, New York were taken during the Summer of 2006. Plans are in place for a $1 billion dollar renovation of the boardwalk and amusement area. I wanted to capture the place and the faces that will soon fade from Coney Island. As of this writing, one third of the merchants of Coney Island have been given eviction notices.

The landmarks, such as the Wonder Wheel, Parachute Drop, the Cyclone, and Child's Restaurant, are protected. Playland, the Zipper, the Spider, and the old Henderson Ballroom are in question.

UPDATE:  Coney Island's Astroland has been dismantled, rides sold or broken for use as scrap metal.  Two iconic structures, the Astroland Rocket and the Astro Tower are up for grabs and if no one is interested in removing these structures, they will wind up in a trash heap somewhere.

Joe Sitt of Thor Equities is still making promises to clean and rebuild, while Coney just continues to deteriorate.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Is_mwoBlyL0

http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/31/50/31_50_mm_rocketship.html?comm=1

http://curbed.com/archives/2008/11/24/monday_coney_island_1_astroland_destructoporn.php

http://curbed.com/archives/2008/12/02/more_astroland_destructoporn_a_real_stairway_to_nowhere.php

http://curbed.com/archives/2008/11/18/city_confirms_talks_with_sitt_new_vision_circulates.php