[Photo for GL courtesy of Deborah Matlack]
A small group turned out in Coney Island yesterday to protest redevelopment plans. Contributor Lornagrl writes: “Protesters braved the freezing cold weather this New Years Day for a Save Coney Island Demonstration. It was just a few store fronts down from Ruby’s Bar, which was opened for business, serving beer and other drinks and had bagels and carrot sticks at the bar. The number of demonstrators were just a hand full compared to the Polar Bear Swim. Dianna Carlin spoke and announced that Sitt has not renewed her lease for 2009 evidently for her outspokeness and her refusal to sign a confidentiality agreement. She pointed out that some business have been offered lease renewals for double or even triple the price. This option was not offered to her.”
[Photo courtesy lornagrl/flickr]
6 responses so far ↓
1 jerry // Jan 2, 2009 at 12:45 pm
Coucnilman Domenic Recchia & his buddy Joe Sitt of Thor Equities really have screwed the people of Coney Island. Let’s not renew Mr. Recchia’s lease in the New York City Council….. Dump Recchia 2009!
2 Roberto // Jan 2, 2009 at 6:30 pm
Gad, that’s about the whitest group of people out there.
People who live on Neptune Ave in the projects couldn’t give 2 craps … unless it was their summer employment source – Nathan’s – that went under.
3 Jack // Jan 3, 2009 at 6:48 am
Sorry to state the obvious, but one doesn’t triple rent on a tenant because they want to negotiate. They do that to push folks out or drain them dry for one last year.
The idea that this would be done during one of the worst recessions in recent history—with discussion of depression era strategies increasing daily—is obscene and should be illegal.
4 anonymouse // Jan 3, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Rumor has it Steve’s Grill House was paying 40K and has agreed to pay an inflated 100K for ’09. At that rate, the “jaw-stretching tortas ($7) to order” (Time Out NY), might cost ya a whopping $17 per this summer. Thor’s game is to put these businesses Out of Business. City officials need to get off their a$$es and Stop Thor.
5 lefty // Jan 6, 2009 at 7:25 am
“Let’s not renew Mr. Recchia’s lease in the New York City Council….. Dump Recchia 2009!”
Not only the councilman, but also Bloomberg. People are sort of acting as if he’s going to get it hands down. There are issues like all the failed developments including this one, being in favor of horse drawn carriages, not issuing emergency money for voting day and probably many more where someone like William Thompson is on the left’s side on some of those issues. I think the group that are angry about Coney should get together and leverage for other candidates and campaign hard on this basis.
6 lefty // Jan 6, 2009 at 7:26 am
Oh and let’s not forget ignoring the will of the people for term limits.