New Year’s Day Demonstration Planned To
Protest Owner Joe Sitt’s Refusal To
Negotiate New Leases With Retailers
CONEY ISLAND — In the two days before Christmas, Coney Island Boardwalk businesses were shocked to find “Space for Lease” banners tacked to their storefronts by the owner, Thor Equities.
This newspaper learned late Tuesday that business owners and Coney Island residents were planning a demonstration on New Year’s Day on the boardwalk near West Tenth Street where there is a memorial shrine on the gates of the closed and dismantled Astroland Park.
Claiming “Thor is destroying Coney Island,” organizers were expecting hundreds to turn out and add posters and flowers to that memorial shrine.
“Residents and tourists who come to Coney Island on New Year’s Day will be shocked to find historic bars and storefronts closed and colorful signage obliterated by the “Space for Lease” banners,” said the owner of one of the affected businesses who prefers anonymity.
Representatives of Thor Equities’ CEO Joe Sitt began evicting the longtime tenants by cutting off locks, asking for triple rents, or refusing to discuss 2009 leases, she said.
Cha Cha’s, Ruby’s Grill and Nathan’s boardwalk store were among the businesses on Thor-owned property in Coney Island who received the “Space for Lease” banners.
As previously reported in the Eagle, Astroland closed in September after 46 years as Coney’s largest amusement park when Thor refused to grant a lease for the 2009 season.
“We were supposed to have lease options this week,” the business owner said. “We have tried to call the number on the banners but the number either rings or goes to voice mail.
“I can see Sitt’s reasoning in puttng up the banners now since today most every lease expires and some may choose to fold since rent will be going up. But we don’t know how much, [we don’t know] the options, [we don’t have] the other crucial info to make a proper decision at this point.”
Neither Sitt nor Sam Sabin (whose name appears on all the “Stores for Lease” banners) responded to calls for comment.
— Linda Collins
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© Brooklyn Daily Eagle 2008
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