Landmarks to hold public hearing on Coney Boardwalk Tuesday

The storied Coney Island Boardwalk is one step closer to receiving landmark designation.

The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, April 17 in regards to the decision to designate the Coney Island Riegelmann Boardwalk – first opened in 1923 – a scenic landmark.

During the hearing – to be held at commission’s headquarters, 1 Centre Street in Manhattan at 9:30 a.m. – LPC will hear testimony on the proposed designation. It will then consider the research and testimony before voting on the designation.

The hearing comes on the heels of pressure from local stakeholders, elected officials and residents alike.

Landmark designation would officially recognize the nearly-century old stretch of wood as one of Southern Brooklyn’s historic locations, while also providing a layer of protection and an opportunity for local residents to weigh in on the future of the Boardwalk. Stakeholders are hoping such a designation would also prevent more of its traditional wooden planks from being replaced with concrete and plastic.

However, although scenic landmark status would protect its physical presence along the coastline and its general parameters including the configuration of the Boardwalk, for scenic landmarks, LPC review of alterations would be advisory only, with the Public Design Commission having binding jurisdiction, or final say, over the Boardwalk.

But, that’s not to say the agency won’t work hard to protect it, a spokesperson for LPC told this paper when Tuesday’s hearing was first calendared.

“This is an important first step in ensuring that this cultural touchstone beloved in Southern Brooklyn, across the city, and by millions from beyond the five boroughs is preserved and protected in perpetuity for generations to come,” said Councilmembers Mark Treyger and Chaim Deutsch, two who led the charge in early 2016 to secure the City Council’s support for landmarking the site, in a joint statement. “Our push to see this local treasure receive landmark status has the support of all of the elected officials who represent this area, countless citywide officials and the entire City Council.”

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