After decades of advocacy, New York City has allocated $1 billion for a makeover of the historic Coney Island boardwalk. Community stakeholders say the investment marks a turning point for the beloved, but aging, promenade.

The 102-year-old landmark shows its age in many places. Broken or missing planks, holes, and jutting nails present hazards along the 2.7-mile stretch, prompting years of concerns and piecemeal repairs.

In some sections, such as near West 25th Street, conditions deteriorated so badly that the city covered the boardwalk with plywood to prevent injuries.

"It's just not acceptable. This is not what a world-class community deserves," said City Councilmember Justin Brannan, who represents the waterfront community and pushed for a comprehensive fix. "Coney Island was absolutely devastated by Hurricane Sandy. We've not been the same since, including this boardwalk that was greatly compromised."  

Changes are coming

That is expected to change after the Parks Department announced the overhaul during a Community Board 13 meeting earlier this week. Daniel Murphy, the executive director of the Alliance for Coney Island, said his organization is thrilled.

"Coney Islanders have been through a lot over the last century. They've been through some bad planning, and they have endured, and they've grown. And, now this is Coney Island's moment," he said.

Angela Kravtchenko, Community Board 13's first vice chair, emphasized the importance of keeping the boardwalk made of wood -- not just for nostalgia but for public safety and climate concerns.

"When summer heat comes, the concrete will heat from 20 to 40 degrees more than the wood, so that's our cooling system. We're an urban heat island," she said.

Boardwalk represents everything Coney Island is, locals say

Local resident and activist Ida Sanoff said community involvement must remain central as plans develop.

"This is an important part of our infrastructure because storm surges do hit that boardwalk. What happens on that boardwalk, what the boardwalk is made out of, ultimately affects us," she said.

Brannan says now that the hardest part, securing the funding, is done, the details will be hashed out in the coming months.

"The big thing here is that the funding has been secured. We can figure out all the details later. But finally, getting this done was a huge priority for me. And I thank the mayor for working with us on it," he adds.

City leaders are expected to release more details on the project's scope, construction timeline, and storm-resiliency measures later this week.

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