Coney Island Deathwatch: The Big Eviction Story, Continued

There was much attention paid yesterday to the impending clean out of Coney Island by developer Thor Equities, with a Daily News story and a Post story hitting the same day. Gothamist covered the story. As did Real Deal and others. One of our favorite summaries came from Metadish, which wrote:

Don't be surprised next summer when you show up to Coney Island and find your favorite ride is just a memory.

The bumper cars, batting cages, the Zipper and a slew of carny games are among some of the long time tenants who have been ordered out by owner, developer Thor Equities, when their lease is up in December. It's all part of Coney Island's redevelopment makeover to make it more respectable...

In other words, the effort to recapture Coney Island's past glory starts with erasing it's past. Get it?

To add new material to the story, there's some sense that evictions took everyone, including the city, by surprise and that there may be pressure to give the tenants another years. Meanwhile, here's what someone who is apparently one of those being evicted has to say over on the Coney Message Board where this topic has generated much conversation:

I DO love Coney Island, and I am happy that someone finally wants to do something, but, "I" have a great attraction, and "I" wanted to STAY and be part of the NEW Coney Island, and have been told that just wouldnt be possible, we dont fit in with what they want to do.

If its entertainment and amusement, WHY wouldnt my ride fit in?

Its very well maintained, and has something people love! Actually, it combines a few well liked elements!

Get it now? "I" want to stay and be part of it! I dont want to go, I DO want new and marvelous things, but NOT condos.

To recap: In a week's time, we've discovered that nearly two blocks of Coney Island will be a ghost town next summer. What will Thor do with the properties? Demolish everything? Use them for parking?

Perhaps, there will be a reprieve for the 2007 summer season if the city forces it. Emptiness or another year to live--it's a very bad omen of the way Thor intends to treat Coney.