Coney Island locals have been rallying to revive the shuttered Shore Theater (formerly the Loew’s Coney Island), which five years ago was nominated for landmark designation. Yesterday the group—led by Dick Zigun—made a plea to building owner Horace Bullard at the Landmarks Preservation Commission hearing. According the NY Post, he told the owner: "Horace, cash out now, and we'll call it the Bullard Center for the Performing Arts!"
They hope to make the 2,387-seat theater, built in 1925, a performing arts center, hosting circus acts, concerts and anything else that comes into town—a step towards making Coney a year-round destination spot. As of now, it's been closed off to the public for a whopping 35 years (it shut down in the 70s when it was screening X-rated adult movies).
Bullard (the owner of Kansas Fried Chicken—which is also shuttered) isn't budging so far, and has been strongly opposed to historic designation.
