TenBerke and Consigli Selected for the Abe Stark Sports Center Renovation
February 12, 2026
NYCEDC has selected the design-build team of Consigli Construction Co., Inc. and TenBerke Architects to renovate the Abe Stark Sports Center in Coney Island. The project will deliver a transformative public amenity by modernizing the 46,000-square-foot facility to better serve the Coney Island community and surrounding New Yorkers for years to come. This mark’s NYCEDC’s first Progressive Design-Build project.
Opened in 1970, the Abe Stark Rink is named for Abe Stark (1894–1972), a prominent businessman and local politician. Stark served as City Council President from 1954 to 1961 and later completed three terms as Brooklyn Borough President, earning the nickname “Mr. Brooklyn.” A tailor by trade, he first gained widespread recognition through a clever publicity stunt: a bright yellow advertisement at Ebbets Field, then home to the Brooklyn Dodgers, that promised a free suit to any player who hit the sign near the right-field scoreboard. Though few suits were ever won, the sign made Stark a household name throughout Brooklyn.
The renovation of the Abe Stark Sports Center will take place in coordination with the City’s boardwalk restoration project, which will upgrade all 2.7 miles of the Riegelmann Boardwalk. Together, these improvements will re-establish the Sports Center as a vibrant hub for recreation and strengthen its connection to the surrounding community.
The Consigli and TenBerke partnership builds on their 14-year working relationship and specific expertise relevant to the Abe Stark Sports Center project. Consigli’s extensive portfolio includes over 60 design-build projects, with significant experience building ice rinks and recreation facilities. TenBerke has renovated and revived dozens of old buildings, particularly mid-century modern structures built in the same era as the Abe Stark Sports Center. Recognized as a leader in enlivening historic structures, the firm recently authored Transform: Promising Places, Second Chances, and the Architecture of Transformational Change. Coupled with Consigli’s hands-on experience with high-impact projects such as the Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center for the NYC DDC, the team brings valuable perspective and approaches drawn from past work.
Learn more about the history of the Abe Stark Skating Rink here:
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/abe-stark-skating-rink/history
Learn more about the redevelopment of Coney Island here:
https://edc.nyc/project/coney-island
And read about NYCEDC’s Coney Island Master Plan here:
https://edc.nyc/sites/default/files/2025-02/NYCEDC-Project-Coney-Island-West-Brochure-Web.pdf
