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Fighting For Land; ‘Ground Zero Mosque’ Faces Eviction

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The building where Park51 mosque currently leases located at 49-51 Warren Street in Manhattan, New York.

A Tribeca condo board threatened to stop “Ground Zero mosque” worshipers from renting space in its tony building, sparking charges of discrimination. Park51 leased the condo’s 49-51 Warren St. storefront in August. However, by September 18th the condo posted a legal notice, kindly requesting Park51 to leave/move by the end of the month.  Park51 decided to lease the condo, because its future mosque is near Ground Zero currently under construction.

The owner of Warren Street retail space, Christophe Cornarie and a former managing director, Cantor Fitzgerald recently hired a lawyer to make sure the condo board does not evict the mosque.  Cornarie currently lives in France, worked for Cantor Fitzgerald from 00’-10’. The firm then went on to lose 658 employees in the 9/11 World Trade Center terrorists attacks.

Richard Menaker, a lawyer for the condo board says, “The unit owner is rattling sabers at us, He’s been accusing the board of misbehaving here… [of being] discriminatory.” Menaker states that the condo is simply holding Cornaire accountable for failing to state how the space would be used and how many people would occupy it at once. Menaker went on to say that “The key thing is, they are talking about using the basement space, which is not allowed to be used by people.”

Years ago, hundreds of Muslim worshipers would crowed around a makeshift at Park Place for Friday services, many Muslims would spill into the basement area of the building. Menaker stated that the condo withdrew its eviction threat and is waiting to hear back from Cornarie. Meanwhile Cornarie’s lawyer, Adam Leitman Bailey, refused to comment. Bailey once represented Sharif El-Gamal, the developer for the “Ground Zero mosque,” in lawsuits against the controversial project. In 2010 El-Gamal unveiled his plans for a $100 million community center/mosque near the World Trade Center attacks. The building would contain a fitness center, swimming pool, and auditorium and prayer space.

Nobody has heard of this “plan” since, until El-Gamal announced earlier this year he was going to start constructing a three-story museum, complete with a prayer space designed by French artist, Jean Nouvel. Adjacent to the museum El-Gamal plans to erect a 39-story glass and steel condo tower. His company Soho Properties recently received $33 million for financing the project last month.

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