Since the 80s a small group of people have worked hard to revive Coney Island. In recent years their efforts finally yielded results. The decay was starting to reverse itself. Coney Island was coming out of its senescence. Money to continue this pattern would have restored Coney Island to something resembling its past glory. But this was not to be. There wasn't enough money to be made that way.

The east end of Coney Island had luxury hotels. All were gone by the 1920s. I wonder whether this crop will fare any better. I suspect that they won't.

On the other hand he seems to have been a guy with unmatched ego that destroyed as many parts of New York as he built up and created (or prevented the construction) of things that even today are affecting the face of the city.

IMO the various “Projects” around NYC have become one of his worst legacies. They may have been built for other people but they've turned into magnets for crime and pollution and dangerous pockets all around.

If those projects weren't in Coney Island don't you think a lot more developers would be interested in the area? It's right off the beach! It's amazing that such prime real estate goes so underused. Rockaway in Queens has the same issue. All the projects over there have scared off developers from its center. At least finally they are getting some middle-upper communities like Averne.

However, I don't think the current housing is as big of an issue concerning Coney Island's success as it used to be. Nor do I think the developers and city planners involved are on a moral crusade to destroy Coney Island, as Moses was. Instead, I do think they all want to see the area succeed. They just have a totally different definition of success.

Are good things in store for CI's future? I think so. Will it be vastly different than the past. I definitely think so.

There have been plans submitted over the years that would have revived Coney Island without changing its intrinsic character. All of them became mired in political obstacles. The Thor plan has also been subjected to manipulation, and will eventually fail to come into fruition. The end result will be further decay of the amusement area. The only solution is for the city, which bought much of the original strip, to restore what is there. There is a renewed interest in Coney Island. If properly promoted, it can be sustained.