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For the first time in its 98-year history, Coney Island's Riegelmann Boardwalk will be redesigned and reconstructed section by section.
On Wednesday, NYC announced it will be putting $114.5 million toward the project that'll include new piles and resilient materials, including brand-new decking, railings and furnishings. The hope is to limit "risk to the larger Coney Island community, including the businesses that line the famed boardwalk’s corridor," NYC Parks says.
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The plan is to reconstruct the 2.5-mile boardwalk in phases so that large portions of the existing boardwalk are available to the public during construction.
The city will work with engineers and designers to prioritize which parts of the boardwalk will be reconfigured first. (Only the first phase of the reconstruction is funded right now.)
"The Riegelmann Boardwalk—named for a former borough president—is an iconic location that has drawn visitors from all over the world for decades," says Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams. "For many Brooklynites, Coney Island is their summer getaway, where they come to unwind and spend time with friends and family. After securing its status as an official scenic landmark, I am thrilled that the City is finally allocating funding to secure its future, and ensure it receives the needed resiliency upgrades to maintain it as an international destination for decades to come."
In 2018, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission officially designated the boardwalk a scenic landmark. The designation was meant to ensure that the boardwalk will never be torn down.