Half Moon Hotel

Former hotel in Brooklyn, New York

The Half Moon Hotel in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York, was a 225-foot-tall, 14-story hotel that opened on May 5, 1927, on the Riegelmann Boardwalk at West 29th Street. The Half Moon was built to help Coney Island compete with the beach resort Atlantic City, New Jersey. The hotel was designed by the architectural firm of George B. Post and Sons and built by the Cauldwell-Wingate Co.

It is best known as the location where Abe Reles, informant for the FBI who brought down numerous members of Murder, Inc., either jumped, fell or was pushed to his death on November 12, 1941, from room 623, where he was in protective custody of the New York City Police Department, a few hours before he was scheduled to testify against Albert Anastasia. Reles's death signified the reach that organized crime had into the police department – he was guarded by six police detectives. There was little doubt that Reles was defenestrated.^[1]

The name "Half Moon" refers to the name of explorer Henry Hudson's ship, which anchored off Gravesend Bay in Brooklyn (the location of Coney Island), while searching for a short cut to Asia.

During World War 2, the hotel was operated by the U.S. Navy and became known as the "U. S. Naval Special Hospital Sea Gate, NY", a convalescent hospital.

In the 1950s, it became a senior citizens' home called the Metropolitan Jewish Geriatric Center. They moved to another building and it was demolished in 1995. Today the Seagate Rehabilitation and Nursing Center is on the site. ^[2]

References

^ "Abe". Archived from the original on February 8, 2012. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
^ Cooper, Michael (May 28, 1995). "Neighborhood report: Southern Brooklyn; Ill-Fated Stool Pigeon's Roost Finally Following Him Down". The New York Times. Retrieved July 8, 2015.

Coney Island

Brooklyn, New York City

Parks

Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park
Luna Park

Former	Astroland (1962–2008) Dreamland (1904–11) Dreamland (2009) Luna Park (1903–44) Sea Lion Park (1895–1903) Steeplechase Park (1897–1964)

Roller coasters

Circus Coaster
Cyclone
Soarin' Eagle
Sea Serpent Family Coaster
Steeplechase
The Tickler
Thunderbolt (built 2014)
Phoenix
Starflyer

Other rides

Other attractions

Defunct

Roller coasters	Cannon Coaster Drop the Dip Flip Flap Railway Loop the Loop Rough Riders Switchback Railway Thunderbolt (1925–1982) Tornado
Other rides	A Trip to the Moon Dante's Inferno Parachute Jump Witching Waves
Other attractions	Childs Restaurants Surf Avenue Boardwalk Coney Island Velodrome Elephantine Colossus Shoot the Freak Shore Theater