1618 Mermaid Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11224
Phone: 718-266-4653
Fax: 718-996-8759
Mon. - Friday, 9 am - 5 pm
Email:
Astella Development Corporation is a not-for-profit community based organization dedicated to providing affordable housing, commercial revitalization, and improving the quality of life in the Coney Island community.
Astella was founded in 1975 by Coney Island residents who were concerned about the deterioration of their community. The mission that they set for the new community development corporation was to:
The community where Astella works is one that is rich in ethnic and cultural diversity offering a wide range of foods and amusements.
Coney Island still has many of the old amusement areas including the Cyclone, and the Wonder Wheel as well as various shows and games. In addition, Coney Island is the home of New York’s famed Aquarium and is home to the Brooklyn Cyclones, the farm team of the New York Mets. The Cyclones have been playing to sold out crowds in their oceanfront MCU Park. Beginning in May 2010, Luna Park, a new amusement park between Surf Avenue and the Boardwalk, opens at the site of the former Astroland.
Astella’s catchment area is from the Atlantic Ocean to Gravesend Bay; from Stillwell Avenue to West 37th Street. The community has 3 public schools and an intermediate school. There is an active Boys & Girls Club as well several day care centers.
In addition to its famed beaches, Coney Island has parks and tennis courts and athletic fields.
Coney Island was once the home of many seaside hotels and resorts. The hot dog was a Coney Island invention and the area still boasts the famous Nathan's as well as numerous seafood and ethnic restaurants. The city announced in November 2009 the creation of a 12.5-acre outdoor amusement park within a new 27-acre amusement and entertainment district. The plan will preserve and grow the historic amusement area, create a mixed-use neighborhood with new retail options and nearly 5,000 new units of housing.
Coney Island has a long and rich history. Discovered by Henry Hudson in 1609, it flourished first as a settlement for English religious dissenters and later as a playground for the City and the world. Coney Island has survived unscrupulous land barons, dishonest politicians and urban renewal. Coney Island combines a mixture of the nostalgic old with the excitement of the new generation.