I couldn’t make it out to Coney Island today for the city’s big redevelopment announcement, and given the despicable weather, boy, am I glad I didn’t:

There hasn’t been much good news coming out of Coney Island of late, unless you count the news that Nathan’s is staying put even if its building doesn’t. So this morning’s announcement by the city of a major press conference on “Coney Island redevelopment” at noon, featuring everyone from deputy mayor Robert Lieber to Rep. Jerry Nadler, provided a rare jolt of excitement. Had Thor Equities agreed to sell out to the city at last? Was Astroland moving to the old Thunderbolt site? The Parachute Jump reopening with federal stimulus money? What, what?

The answer, it can now be revealed: Carol Hill Albert is donating the Astroland rocket to the city, which will put it in storage. And then do something with it. Someday. Maybe… [read more]