Bye Bye Astroland

I know one man’s nostalgia is another man’s blight but I can’t help feeling a little glum about the recent announcement that Astroland at Coney Island has been sold to a major developer for, well, “development.” When I came to live in New York in 1970 the boardwalk area of Coney Island was pretty rundown. Rundown is putting it mildly; it was, frankly, crappy…a mere shadow of its glorious past, but it did have a certain tacky appeal to a fresh young man from California. It had its flash and a definite dangerous edge, but it was still cool to hit Nathan’s at 4:00 in the morning (it stayed open all night in those days) for a dog, greasy fries and, inevitably, some major agita (we didn’t know from acid reflux in those days).

In the intervening years sections of the area were flattened and a minor league baseball stadium was built and various “improvements” filtered into the area. The only really decent attraction (is minor league baseball a decent attraction?) was the nearby installation of the New York Aquarium which was, and is, worth a once-a-year visit, maybe twice if requested by a houseguest. These visits always included a stroll through Astroland and, maybe, a stop at Nathan’s for a hit of hotdog nostalgia. When I was there this summer (yes, after visiting the aquarium) I now realize the subtle odor I registered was a whiff of a death knell because the whole place is still tacky, held together by spit and old chewing gum and is, forever and a day, not pretty. Well, it’s old and nostalgia cannot repair layers of cracked asphalt and grime.

It is fairly amazing the place has survived over the last 25 years because it sure is prime real estate. Developers have been licking their chops for a couple of decades; and now it has come to pass. Astroland will close in the fall of 2007 and the Wonder Wheel, the ethereal lattice work of the Parachute Jump and the Astrotower will cease to exist. The landmarked Cyclone, that famous old rickety, scary roller coaster will be saved for a while because it is built on city-owned land but I can’t imagine residents of a luxury condominium putting up with that screamer for very long.

Yes, it’s confirmed, luxury condos will rise along that fabulous stretch of beach; the views will be spectacular. And Nathan’s will have to move over for Starbucks; it’s inevitable.