The New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) enlisted the help of famous lighting designer, Leni Schwendinger and Phoster Lighting LLC to light up the historic, Coney Island Parachute Jump with a dynamic and spectacular display. The project, in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City, presented unique challenges. The structure itself is recognized as a landmark and historic sight by the state of New York. For this reason, fusing the aluminum fixtures directly onto the structure’s beams was not an option. The designers had to develop a mounting system which would not pierce or deface the structure’s surface. Additionally, fusing copper wire to the structure to protect and ground the structure was also not an option.

The fixtures would have to withstand extreme hot and cold temperatures and salt water spray of the oceanside environment. Phoster Lighting accomplished this design challenge by making the fixtures look like the structure to which they would be attached. Ultimately, the company chose to anodize the fixtures to protect them and make them blend in with the structure, and they created a specially designed, secure clamping system and an electrical rather than mechanical method of protecting the fixtures. The design challenge did not stop there. The designers had to create lighting effects that could be remotely controlled by a DMX controller and accessed by computer. The successful result is a beautiful display of glowing and flickering red lights that can be seen from miles away. Coney Island USA, a non-profit organization started by Dick Zigun spearheaded the project and also helped with some of the funding. The parachute jump was built for the World's Fair in 1939 as a ride and moved to Coney Island in 1941. However, since the mid 60s it was shut down and left to rust and decay. No longer an isore, the towering structure lights up as a beacon of hope in the night sky.