The Coney Island Development Corporation unveiled its vision for the future of the neighborhood this week, and it says that changes are necessary.

CIDC says it plans to restore some of the rides that made Coney Island famous. The CIDC wants to see the tourist attraction restored to its original grandeur, and it hopes that feedback from the public will help make its proposal a successful one.

The proposal calls for rezoning the area to allow for mixed-use buildings, including nearly 5,000 residential units, retail space, restaurants and hotels. The new businesses are expected to create new job opportunities.

?We would like to see this done in the right manner,? labor union representative Anthony Williamson says. ?Meaning that they have decent jobs with sustainable income, with benefits and career opportunities being given to the residents of Coney Island.?

The proposal is in the beginning of a long process of reviews the CIDC says won?t be complete until 2009. The next step is to go through an environmental review.

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