43 MacDougal Needs a New Lease on Life

Why would a triplex in the West Village, measuring about 3360 sq ft, go abandoned for decades? More importantly, what's inside? amNY takes a look at the mystery of 43 MacDougal Street, which has had locals rumor-mongering about it for ages.

"I heard that it used to be a hangout for the mafia, and there was a police shootout there, and they had to close it for evidence," said Tal Kon, 22, who has lived on the picturesque block for a year.

"I've heard that the FBI, or the CIA, or somebody closed it down, and that there was a dead body in there," said Ronen Grady, who for four years has operated the hip cafe 12 Chairs across the street.

The building is in the Charlton-King-Vandam Historic District, making it a landmark -- albeit a highly neglected one. Dead bodies or not, the rats have taken over the past home of the Citizens for a Better Village, an Italian American social club. Some of the older residents are keeping hush hush about the place, still following the Omerta code. One did say that Vinny "the Chin" Gigante (of the Genovese crime family) used to work out of the building, adding "They'd be in there, smoking cigarettes. People was used to it." An old NY Times article shows that the place was raided at least once.

Currently there are two owners listed, Abraham and Arthur Blasof, who have been unresponsive. The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation has attempted to contact the Department of Buildings, the Fire Department, and the city's Department of Housing, Preservation and Development, in an attempt to save the building -- but it seems the city is turning their back on the building...which, incidentally, would make for a pretty sweet Duane Reade or Chase Bank.

Photo via amNY.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Carlson in News on April 21, 2008 2:20 PM

Comments [rss]

kingstreetkid

Let me also respond to the two newcomers Tal Kon & Ronan Grady who have commented on that building. You are both misinformed, as I know this building and this neighborhood extremely well. Please see my comment above.

There was neither a police shoot out nor is there a dead body in there. The owner of the social club passed away years ago of natural causes and as so many social clubs born of a certain generation were becoming a thing of the past, it closed down.

kingstreetkid

I grew up living in One King St, which is the building right next to this one (but on the King St side). I lived there during my entire childhood up until my early 20s. This was during the 60s & 70s. I am 52 years old which means I knew this building when families actually lived in it (I had a childhood friend who lived in the building) and I knew the social club and those who frequented it very well.

To go back to my old neighborhood and see how this great building has become an abandoned, rat infested, tag & trash littered eyesore is not only disgusting but breaks my heart. It is terrible that the owners have allowed this to happen to this building and to this neighborhood. It's more than a shame that the city is doing nothing about it. Even if you take away the fact that it's an eyesore, it's also a serious health hazard. I cannot tell you how many rats I see just running back and forth all over the place on that corner because of the deplorable condition it's been left in.

And in response to the last line of the above article, that this would "make a sweet Duane Reed or Chase Bank", I hope you were being sarcastic because nothing could be worse than that.

JJ72

Kingstreetkid,

Do you have any idea how to get in touch with the owners, Abraham and Arthur Blasof? Do you know anything about them or why they have abandoned the building?

It would be an amazing challenge to restore this home.

neighborhoodrevisited

I ment 31 years and 20 days ago would know.

neighborhoodrevisited

Only the lucky few of 41 years ago will know!

rjbodratti

my mom and her family grew up in this bldg, and as far as i know, they were the last tenants. my moms family lived in the apartment above the "social club", as it was known. she would tell of yelling and arguments she remembered from her youth while growing up there. her fathers brother and his family lived above them in the upper apartment until the current owners had them evicted. the new owners were supposed to move in, but as far as i know they never did. the families lived there for what must have been 40+ years. i remember visiting there as a child. i don't know about any bodies that may be buried there - the biggest excitement i can remember was going down to the subcellar to look for old bottles. there was at least one tunnel which had been bricked up - probably leading to another subcellar of another building. it is a shame to see what has become of this property - it was at one time a place people called home - too bad no one can call it that now.

Snoopy

Is that the "Chin" looking up at the building? I thought he was dead. It could be "Son of Chin."

UnrepentantFenian

Judging by the yellow square with the X in it, the building has sustained extensive damage and is not safe to enter.

citylion

I grew up going to St. Anthony's across the street as a child and never remember seeing much of anything there.

Just a spooky old place. Do remember the rats though.

Um...also, why are we quoting a person that just moved into the neighborhood? Don't we have enough contacts through the Gothamistverse to get better reliable info than from some newbie to the neighborhood?

I'll ask my folks about the place...I was expecting something interesting here. Don't we do our homework anymore?

Also, ask Lenny's Candy store down the block on Houston and MacDougal. They've been there forever and would be able to tell you the story on it, if Lenny or one of the old ladies there are still around.

jpeditor

It's in the block below Houston, and according to this map, it is in the Charlton-King-Vandam Historic District.

Sinchy

It was a social club, I remember my grandma taking me there for a sandwich or something when I was a little kid, circa 1980.

JenChungsBaby

I don't know about the building, but it looks like someone was playing stickball on the second floor.

Snoopy

Come on people. First the building is not located in the West Village or even the Charlton King Vandam historical district. It would be in SoHo or the south village. Also quoting that appears to be of a twenty something of asian origin hardly appears to be correct considering this is a decades old story.

Holy smokes "They'd be in there, smoking cigarettes. People was used to it." Well back in the old days people were used to smoking in your face.

I am waiting for this developing story to continue.