Thor — Rawr! — Son Of Odin, Thrower Of Thunder, The Great Muzzler
Tenants set to be displaced by Thor’s all-powerful thunderbolt are under a strict gag order as per the terms of their lease with the developer:
A dozen business owners have vowed to stay mute about the amusement mecca’s future because of an airtight provision of their leases that threatens severe penalties for talking — even during crucial public hearings planned for this year.
“Everyone is going to have to shrug their shoulders and say nothing, and that’s exactly what they want,” said Dianna Carlin, owner of the now-closed Boardwalk shop Lola Staar Souvenir Boutique.
“They want to bulldoze through this whole thing,” she said of developer Thor Equities.
The sweeping clause in the leases — most of them signed by short-term tenants in buildings scooped up along the Boardwalk — threatens $10,000 fines for each offense and even eviction for squawking about “the redevelopment activities” on Coney Island.
The clause also bars attendance at parades, marches, other public events and petition signings until three years after the lease is terminated — demands that would conceivably keep tenants from speaking during a city-mandated public land review process this year.
Not to worry, though — Dick Zigun will pick up the slack:
Posted: March 1st, 2007 | Filed under: Brooklyn, Real Estate, There Goes The NeighborhoodOthers doubted the clause would stifle opposition during a public review expected to go through Community Board 13, the borough president’s office and the city Council before reaching Mayor Bloomberg.
“If people need to sign a lease for one more year, that takes priority over speaking out in public,” said Dick Zigun, president of Coney Island USA, an arts and community group. “Coney Island has enough loudmouths, including me, to speak out about development.”