October is consider one of those perfect months to visit the city – there’s the interesting happenings, the pre-holiday excitement, not to mention the great weather. The days are still warm enough to be comfortable, with average temperature highs at 65°F (18°C), with lows hitting 50°F (10°C). So usually the days are warm but the nights are cool so it’s best to bring a warm sweater or jacket for evening outside. Other items to bring comfortable, water-resistant walking shoes.  

These are critical times for Coney Island. This summer, “The People’s Playground” saw the opening of its first new amusement park in thirty years, Luna Park– signaling the start of a fragile recovery. However, a compromised rezoning plan and rampant land speculation still pose a threat to the area’s vitality.

Private developer Thor Equities has announced plans to demolish several of Coney Island’s few remaining historic structures. These buildings — which include a dance hall where luminaries such as Al Jolson and the Marx Brothers performed, as well as Coney’s oldest remaining building — form a crucial part of a historic district that the New York State Historic Preservation Office has determined eligible for inclusion in the National Register.