Childs Restaurants (Surf Avenue location)

Childs Restaurant Building
landmark
Facade from Surf Avenue
Country	United States
State	New York
Borough	Brooklyn, New York
Coordinates	40°34′31″N 73°58′47″W / 40.5753°N 73.9798°WCoordinates: 40°34′31″N 73°58′47″W / 40.5753°N 73.9798°W
Width	63 ft (19 m)
Depth	110 ft (34 m)
Architect	John C. Westervelt
Style	Spanish Revival
Completed	1917
Status	New York City designated landmark[1]
Address	1208 Surf Avenue, Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York
Location within New York City
Website: http://ConeyIsland.com

The Childs Restaurant Building on Surf Avenue is a New York City designated landmark on Surf Avenue at West 12th Street in Coney Island, Brooklyn. It was completed in 1917 for Childs Restaurants, an early restaurant chain and one of the largest in the United States at that time. Its design, by John Westervelt, Childs' in-house architect, shows "elements of the Spanish Revival style."^[1] The company built a much larger Childs location on the Coney Island Boardwalk in 1923, but continued to operate the Surf Avenue location until 1943.

In later years the building was used for other restaurants and nightclubs. In 2007 the property was acquired by Coney Island USA, a local arts organization that is headquartered in the building, which currently houses a theater, a bar, and exhibition and office space.^[2] The building was designated a New York City landmark in 2010.^[1]

The building sustained considerable damage in Hurricane Sandy on 31 October 2012. With the help of many volunteers, Coney Island USA repaired the worst of the damage and reoccupied the building by the spring of 2013.^[3]

External links

• Coney Island USA website

References

1. "Childs Restaurant Building" (PDF). New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
2. "About Coney Island USA". Coney Island USA.
3. "Coney Island after Sandy: See who's back for the 2013 season". Timeout New York. Retrieved 28 April 2014.