Riegelmann Boardwalk
Riegelmann Boardwalk . The Riegelmann Boardwalk (also known as the Coney Island Boardwalk) is a 2.7-mile-long (4.3 km) boardwalk along the southern shore of the Coney Island peninsula in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean. Opened in 1923, it has become an icon of Coney Island, with appearances in the visual arts, music, and film. The boardwalk has been considered the most important public works project in Brooklyn since the Brooklyn Bridge, with an impact comparable to Central Park. By the mid-19th century, the Coney Island waterfront was divided by owners who erected barriers. First discussed in the late 1890s as a means of uniting the different sections of Coney Island, the boardwalk was designed by Philip P. Farley, and named for Brooklyn borough president Edward J. Riegelmann, who championed its construction. Its first portion opened in 1923, and it connects sites such as the New York Aquarium, Luna Park and MCU Park.