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Flashback: Last Brownstone Standing
A patron of the Coney Island boardwalk bar Ruby’s got sent on a shocking detour during a trip to the men’s room over Memorial Day Weekend. It so happened that Observer reporter Chris Shott was having a beer at the bar around 5:30 Saturday when the owner abruptly pulled the plug on the jukebox and threw everyone out.
As the boozy crowd abandoned their beverages and shuffled out, a slew of firefighters, police and paramedics huddled in the back amid the eerie glow of a bright Coors Light sign near the men’s restroom… An officer in shorts and a blue polo shirt marked “Community Relations,” bluntly summed up the situation: “One guy was taking a leak, the floor partially collapsed, and he fell 10 feet.”He fell into the basement where there were "rats...bigger than dogs" and was able climb out on a ladder. After emerging from a 6' by 6' hole "literally covered in shit" (the plumbing was also damaged!), he was taken to the hospital.
Shott sees the accident as indicative of Coney Island’s current state of affairs: While developers, the city, and the community argue over what shape the new Coney Island will take, the area falls further into disrepair. A neighboring merchant tells the Observer she’s “worried that the incident might give Ruby’s landlord, developer Joseph Sitt of Thor Equities, enough of an excuse to finally demolish the old brick building, much like he bulldozed the batting cages and go-cart track behind the bar last year.” Though it’s difficult to imagine the boardwalk without Ruby’s – a scruffy institution for decades – it’s just as hard to see how it can fit in with the current slick and soulless vision for a Vegas-style Coney Island.
Photo courtesy Rob Hoey.
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This wasn't part of that new CI attraction "Throw the Freak in a Hole"?
The dude was probably obese. Ruby's was the straw that broke the camel's back.
Since moving to Bklyn in the late 90s, I've made at least a once a year pilgramige to the end of the F line for a Nathans dog, ride on the cyclone and beer (or three or four) at Rubys.
This post's subject ranks up there with the fear of falling through one of the sidewalk grates I always avoid walking on. But at least if you fell into one of those, you wouldn't be covered in shit.
Nasty!
Lay off of Ruby's. That place is awesome.
AWESOME! That must have been the funniest thing ever.
Coney Island is a repulsive dump. The whole place sinks like a McDonald's and needs to be re-developed.
It's supposed to be a *beach*. That means it's supposed to smell like you're *outside*.
interlard - ever notice that most urban, public beaches smell like *shit*? Robert Moses thought so.
"current slick and soulless vision for a Vegas-style Coney Island"
when did being a shithole constitute "soul"
if this was the case smelly hipsters would be overflowing with "soul"
I used to hang out at that place every friday afternoon when I'd get off early from work in the summertime.
That's some funny shit!
I'm definitely going back to drink more this summer.
interlard, get out of my city! Coney is a national treasure.
Landmark the latrine! that'll prevent Thor from knocking down the building at season's end. Declare the amusement area a historic district, too!
I somehow have a vision of a Thor Underling, tote bag over the shoulder, with the handle of a cordless "sawzall" poking out of it. It's strange how these things happen all of a sudden when money's involved, isn't it?
Dadoc
And with a reporter just happening to be there at the time.
Clue: if the guy who fell thru the floor DOESN'T file a multi-million dollar lawsuit against Ruby's, you know he's the guy with the totebag.
Even if he does, still a possible.
Who'll keep the neighbors from f'ing up the "New Coney Island"?