Cold Times in Coney Island
The final days of 2008 were fittingly grim for old-school Coney Islanders and the many who share their nostalgia and distaste for glossy change. In the days leading up to Christmas, For Lease signs were slapped up on such boardwalk mainstays as Nathan’s and Ruby’s Bar & Grill by Thor Equities, which has spent the…
The final days of 2008 were fittingly grim for old-school Coney Islanders and the many who share their nostalgia and distaste for glossy change. In the days leading up to Christmas, For Lease signs were slapped up on such boardwalk mainstays as Nathan’s and Ruby’s Bar & Grill by Thor Equities, which has spent the past year trying to convince the residents and the Bloomberg administration of its vision of high-rise condos and hotels for the economically-challenged area. According to one business owner on the strip, Thor has been evicting long-time tenants, tripling rents and, in the case of Lola Staar, refusing to even discuss new leases. (However, Gowanus Lounge says that Thor is beginning to renegotiate with shop owners.) Not to be deterred, Ruby’s reportedly was open for its annual New Year’s Day party to coincide with yesterday’s Polar Bear swim.
Coney Island’s Ruby’s, Nathan’s For Rent [Gothamist]
CI Boardwalk Businesses Surprised by ‘For Lease’ Signs [Brooklyn Eagle]
Boutique Shuttered for Criticizing Coney Landowner [Brooklyn Paper]
Coney Roundup: Ruby’s Will Party… [Gowanus Lounge]
Residents Brace for a New Coney Island [NY Post]
Photo by lornagirl on flickr via Gothamist
Why are Mayor Bloomberg, City Councilman Domenic Recchia and Lynn Kelly, President of the Coney Island Development Corporation, allowing Joe Sitt to get away with murdering Coney Island? This is your opportunity to say Thor No More!… Mayor Mike, Give Us Back our Playground!…Hey Domenic, Don’t let Pal Joey Kill Coney!….CIDC, Go Back to the Drawing Board!
Print out flyers here and distribute:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/saveconeycoalition/
CALL 311 AND LEAVE A COMMENT FOR THE MAYOR!
Mayor Michael Bloomberg
email :http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mayor.html or phone 311 (1- 212-NEWYORK outside of the city) and leave a “Comment for the Mayor”
Send comments to the City Councilman representing Coney Island, Domenic M Recchia Jr.
email recchia@council.nyc.ny.us and domenicmrecchiajr@gmail.com
Phone- 718-373-9673/212-788-7045;
Fax -718-373-0195/212-788-7769
Hear, hear! Let’s not forget that they are pulling this stunt of offering 3x rent and abusive “For Lease” signs during the WORST recession in decades that is based in real estate.
If ANYTHING Thor needs these businesses for one reason: They know how to run a business and turn a profit during good times and bad. Do they think some wet-behind-the-ears Applebee’s manager will understand how to deal with boardwalk business quirks?
Never forget the Albee Square mall. Thor’s hammer smacked that down before. Stop them before they do the same to Coney Island.
i have a personal vendetta against thor equities. they fired a beloved night security guard in my building at work right before the holidays because he told someone “beyonce is in the building” and like 10 minutes later a gazillion paparazzis where flodding the lobby. he has like 5 kids. thor is vile x 10. and totally typical and disgusting what they are doing to coney island 🙁