Could Free Concerts Co-Exist
With Arena-Type Performances?
By Sam Kestenbaum
Brooklyn Daily Eagle
CONEY ISLAND — The Seaside Summer Concert Series in Asser Levy/Seaside Park at West Fifth Street and Surf Avenue is celebrating 30 years of successfully providing free summer entertainment in Brooklyn. Liza Minnelli, Peter Frampton, Brian Wilson, Michael Bolton and Smokey Robinson have all appeared in Coney Island during this year’s series.
It’s clearly an exciting event—it attracts world-class entertainers, plus there’s no entrance fee. But changes are in the wind – this year’s city budget includes $29.3 million for a new amphitheater in the park.
"The Coney Island Center will be a much-needed community resource as well as bring to Coney Island the kind of state-of-the-art performance facility Brooklyn deserves," said Borough President Marty Markowitz.
With this new development underway, will the free shows come to an end?
Plans for this ambitious new amphitheater are still in their preliminary stages. In his February 2008 State of the Borough address, Markowitz said he was “very enthusiastic” about the new project, which he calls ‘Coney Island Center, New York City’s first amphitheater.”
Grimshaw Architects, a London-based, award-winning firm, has been selected to design the new structure.
Markowitz, who has presented the Seaside Summer Concert Series since its inception 30 years ago, hopes the new venue can compete with other state-of-the-art venues such as Jones Beach, Radio City Music Hall, and the PNC Arts Center in New Jersey.
The Coney Island Center is part of a larger movement to re-visualize the entire Coney Island experience. The Coney Island Development Corporation is “spearheading a comprehensive planning process for the future” of the island. “In partnership with various city agencies,” CIDC said, the project will “breathe new life into Asser Park with a new seasonal amphitheater.”
Councilmember Domenic M. Recchia Jr. was aware that community members would probably have concerns with the new development, including the cost of the concerts.
“As long as I, Councilmember Domenic M Recchia Jr., am in office, the summer concerts will remain free and open to the public,” Recchia assured the Eagle.
Markowitz’ office could not be quiet as assuring. A spokesman said it was “too soon to know what would develop,” but saw no reason that the free concert’s couldn’t continue, probably alongside the bigger, higher-priced acts that the Coney Island Center will ostensibly attract.
“This is going to be a great thing, not only for Brooklyn but for the whole city of New York,” Recchia said.
According to the Borough President’s Office, construction will break ground in the late summer of 2009, and the building will be open in time for the 2012 concert season. The cost of construction cannot be accurately estimated at this time.
Markowitz’ vision for the new park is twofold, his office told the Eagle. During the summer, it will function as a concert venue, and during the off-season it will be open as a public park.
As they stand now, this year’s Seaside concerts are held weekly during the summer and boast an impressive line-up of free entertainment; chairs may be rented for five dollars. For a full schedule visit www.brooklynconcerts.com/seaside.
With the successful summer concert series coming to a close later this month, some concert-goers may be wondering if this broad re-visioning of Coney Island will leave the surrounding neighborhood out of the picture.
Recchia says we shouldn’t have to wonder. “Asser Levy Park is a place that will remain accessible to the public; we’re not going to close it off to the neighborhood.”
© Brooklyn Daily Eagle 2008
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