,The bizarre allegations leveled against a longtime Tribeca resident have left his friends reeling in disbelief, while others in the neighborhood evince little surprise.

Police say that Lawrence Omansky, 54, a criminal lawyer and real estate investor, put a knife to the throat of Lawrence Schlosser, 63, his business associate of many years, and threatened to kill him. They say Omansky bound and blindfolded Schlosser until he agreed to sign a property over to him, then stowed Schlosser, bound and gagged, beneath the floorboards of the bathroom in his duplex apartment at 160 Chambers St.

Schlosser told police that he freed himself after being cooped up in the three-foot-high space for 28 hours.

Omansky, released on bail, is charged with kidnapping and coercion. His next court date is June 10.

“Mr. Omansky maintains that he did not commit any crime and that the allegation is a fabrication,” said his lawyer, Benjamin Brafman.

The flamboyant Omansky, a divorced father of three teenagers, is a familiar presence in the neighborhood, easily recognized by his bald head and Fu Manchu mustache. Those who were close to Omansky and his former wife, Linda, said they do not believe he could have committed the crime.

“He’s different, but it doesn’t mean he’s bad,” said Reena Clarkson, an orthodontist with a practice on Harrison Street. She and other friends described Omansky as a loving father who put his children first.

“Even though they divorced, he is 150 percent a father, so the kids don’t even feel the divorce,” Clarkson said. “He’s there all the time. He has all the right values and it just doesn’t go together.”

“I know Larry a long time and I’ve never seen him act in any kind of violent or threatening way to anybody,” said Kathy Sussell, a Greenwich Street resident and close friend of Linda Omansky. “It’s totally out of character.”

But others who know Omansky expressed little surprise. A Downtown Little League official, who asked not to be identified, said that several years ago Omansky was “disinvited” from returning to coach because of his “yelling and general rudeness.”

“The guy had a temper on him that he could not control on the baseball field,” said the official. “He was really kind of crazy with the kids.”

Omansky’s real estate interests in Tribeca have included 64 North Moore Street, where he had lived with his family; 160 Chambers St., his current address; and 49 Warren Street, a property in which Schlosser is said to have an interest as well. Those familiar with his dealings say he is known for his many legal battles with tenants and others involved with his properties.

“Larry was always suing someone,” said a Tribeca resident who has gone up against Omansky in court and, like many others contacted for this article, did not want to be identified.

“He’s a guy who really believes he’s in the right all the time and whatever he does is justified,” said another resident.

In two ongoing court cases, tenants have accused Omansky of trying to force them out of their lofts in order to convert their buildings to condos.

At 49 Warren Street, Omansky claims in court papers that Max McCalman and his daughter, who have lived in the building since 1991, illegally occupy a commercial loft. McCalman says their space is residential and that Omansky is trying to kick them out to get more money for it. After Sept. 11, McCalman claims, Omansky’s contractors removed their stairway, cut off their heat and, the following spring and summer, boarded up the elevator and demolished walls.

At 133 West 14th St., Ovadia Alkara claims that last year, after he refused to purchase his loft from Omansky or accept a buyout, Omansky’s contractors allowed the loft to be flooded by rain while he was abroad. He also claims that they later broke into and trashed his apartment and that basic services were cut off and the stairway removed. When Alkara returned, he says, workers forcibly removed him. A judge ordered Omansky to let the tenant back in and restore building services.

Following Omansky’s arrest last month, friends described him as confident that he will be exonerated. “He’s just very concerned about the kids,” said Reena Clarkson.

Benjamin Brafman, Omansky’s lawyer, said that he can’t discuss specifics of the case, but that “We believe that there is strong evidence out there to cast serious doubt on the credibility of Mr. Schlosser.”

Jeffrey Ween, a tenant lawyer who represents Alkara in the 14th Street building, has also filed a complaint with the State Attorney General against Schlosser for his alleged actions in a building he owns on 23rd Street. Ween claims that Schlosser pressured tenants into committing to purchase their units before the Attorney General accepted their condo plan for filing.

“They’re a good match,” he said of the feuding partners.