Chapter 5 - THE OFFER
Franklin Community Gym did not own its building.
It leased it from a neighborhood nonprofit trust.
The lease expired in nine months.
Martin Mason’s development company had quietly offered the trust:
$4.8 million for the property.
Plan:
demolish gym.
Build luxury apartments with ground-floor retail.
Daniel had known.
He had not told members because negotiations were confidential.
Rachel stared at him.
“You knew they wanted us gone?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“Two months.”
“And Martin’s on the board?”
“He should have disclosed the offer before joining discussions. He eventually recused himself.”
“Eventually?”
Daniel looked ashamed.
The gym’s board was divided.
Some members believed selling would secure money for youth programs elsewhere.
Others wanted Franklin preserved.
Then Martin proposed a third option.
His company would buy the building and lease gym space back.
Smaller.
Higher rent.
No family area.
No boxing studio.
Daniel called it slow eviction.
Rachel understood.
The scandal video suddenly had value.
Unsafe gym.
Violent member.
Baby near weights.
Poor supervision.
All useful if someone wanted to argue Franklin could not responsibly operate.
Then Rachel asked:
“Did Tyler know?”
Daniel said:
“I don’t know.”
That answer lasted less than a day.
Jason texted another teenager:
UNCLE MARTIN SAID THIS PLACE WILL BE CONDOS BY SPRING LOL.
Then:
TYLER’S MOM SAYS THE BABY THING HELPS.
Rachel read the screenshots.
Anger returned.
But screenshots were not enough.
May you like
Teen bragging is not corporate conspiracy.
Need facts.
