If you’re old enough to remember the 1980s, chances are you’ll recognize this building. Located at 14 North Moore Street in Tribeca, this is the headquarters of the Ghostbusters from the cult film franchise which released the films in 1984, a sequel in 1989 and a reboot in 2016.
While the fire station may be most recognizable from the films, it has a long history dating back over 100 years to before 1866. This is the year that the independent firefighting outfit Hook and Ladder Company No. 8 made this spot their home. Back then it was an old school building that housed the branch of the Metropolitan Fire Department.
In 1903, after the formation of the New York Fire Department, the current building was built. It was twice the size of the current building with two garages, but was halved in size in 1913 when adjacent Varick Street was widened.
Despite its age, this is still a working fire station. It’s location meaning the Hook and Ladder Company No. 8 team was among the first responders to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. It was however threatened with closure along with 19 other fire companies in 2011 but a campaign saved the firehouse and it remains in service today.
While recognizable as Ghostbuster HQ, it was only the exterior which was used in the films. The interior scenes were shot in an LA studio and an unused LA firehouse. It made appearances in all versions of the movie including the 2016 version. It also appeared in the 2005 film Hitch, an episode of Seinfeld and has its very own Lego set.
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Sources:
Image without change courtesy of Andrew Huddart via Flickr (https://flic.kr/p/83kaCi)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firehouse,_Hook_%26_Ladder_Company_8
http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-tribeca-fire-station-that-got-a-starring-role-in-ghostbusters