Newsday from New York, New York • 4

At Issue Is Legality Of Too-Tall Condo Coney Island Pie Is Baking from an East Harlem childhood on welfare to become a millionaire through a string of Kansas Chicken franchises. Well, the pie is about to get baked. Frank Marino, a vice president of the citys Public Development estimated that Bullard has spent $6 million already on architectural plans land acquisition, lawyers and preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement. Bullard has declined to identify his consortium of investors, except to say they include some foreign investors. The plan calls for a six-square-block, multilevel theme park salut- By Bob Liff After decades of stillborn proposals for a Coney Island renaissance, a fried-chicken entrepreneur is nearing the first hurdle in an ambitious plan to build a $100-million oceanfront amusement park on the site of the long-lost Steeplechase Park.

If Horace Bullard is successful and city officials believe he has the money and the know-how the long-rusting Parachute Jump could be resurrected, and the four-across horse ride that was Steeplechase's signature attraction could be bade in operation for the first time in a quarter-century by the summer season of 1990 or 1991. They keep telling me its pie in the sky, said Bullard, 50, who rose By Michael Mobs Ian Bruce Eichner is one builder. Why would the city rule his ultraluxury, midtown skyscraper illegal just because its 14 feet too tall, he wants to know. Such quibbling, and after he donated millions to the City Opera and Ballet, hired a former city official to plead his case, and even finlrwH on himself when he discovered the 72-story cement tower on West 56th Street next to City Center would reach 813 feet, not 799 aa the city had permitted. I mean, what Id like people to understand is, I dont think weve done anything ao terrible here," his attorney, Howard B.

Homstein, said in an interview. But the rub here is not in inches, its in principle. And the reason Eichners CitySpire and its million-dollar apartments now stands out among the forest of skyscrapers just south of Central Park is because the city Planning Commission ifarMwl last week to stand ty the letter of zoning law. The problem is simple and not under dispute: Eichner built his tower taller without getting permission. But the post facto resolution is more complex.

And in weighing the justice of the commission's ruling, which would force Eichner to perform what he says is a $10-million alteration, observers must read the developers mind. Was he merely building a better building; adding more cement so it wouldnt sway and believing the city would con- Please see BUILD cm Page 25 ingof the money that was raised, but records of an event in Los Angeles show that expenses totaled shout $300,000 and some of the bills still have not been paid. In at least one case, a developer received a rather blunt demand to contribute more money than he initially intended. Tom Safran, who manages hundreds of HUD subsidized rental units, sent a check for $100 only to have it returned with a letter chiding him for not contributing more. In the letter, Charles Z.

Wilson, a Sblisher who headed a committee med to sponsor the Los Angeles event, stated that $100 is on the ridiculous side It does not pay for the time and energy we have used to create an opportunity for you to be identified with this project With your involvement in housing and benefits from doing HUD Private Fund Criticized CitySpire looms over Manhattan. business with HUD, you should want to make a better impression 99 The National Campaign of Public-Private Partnerships for Fair Housing was designed to promote public awareness of fair housing laws that prohibit discrimination in the housing market However, critics contend it did little mare than Pierces public image while Higuiing his poor performance in fighting for tougher fair housing legislation. President Ronald Reagan had endorsed the campaign at a -White House press conference. In keeping with Reagans push to involve private enterprise in government activities, HUDs fair housing campaign was intended to be a joint Please see PIERCE on Page 23 NEWS DAY, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1987 Please see STEEPLE on Page 21 Los Angeles Times Los Angeles Samuel R. Pierce, U.S.

secretary of Housing and Urban Development, has periodically traveled around the country promoting the nations fair housing laws with parties, balloon shows, press conferences, newspaper ads and billboards. About $1 million was spent on a three-year promotional roadshow that was staged in eight cities, including New York between 1983 and 1985. However, to save money, public funds were not used to pay the expenses of the public relations campaign. Instead, contributions were solicited from developers, Realtors and contractors who do business with HUD and who in some cases had prqjecta awaiting HUD approval. There has been no public account- DPI Photo Samuel R.

Pierce.