The Ghostbusters Firehouse is Real and you can Visit!
ghostbusters, whaddaya want?
BY: V. RHODES
Ghostbuster (1984), motion picture, Columbia Pictures.
My Love for Ghostbusters
Halloween has always been my favorite holiday! And of course, Ghostbusters (1984) is the pinnacle of Halloween movie classics. You can’t get through an October without being drawn to this movie (or this song!)
Growing up I adored the animated series The Real Ghostbusters (1986-1991). The reruns were always on our Candian kids channel Teletoon, and I ate them up! I think this show is responsible for the theme song perpetually living inside my head. My love for the Ghostbusters franchise only grew when I saw the Universal Studios show in Florida: Ghostbusters Spooktacular. Although it only ran from 1990-1996, I know it lives in the hearts of many theme park fans.
Despite less than positive reviews, I even liked the new Ghostbusters (2016) and I am incredibly hyped for the Paul Rudd led reboot Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021). Much like the Fast and the Furious franchise, I hope Ghostbusters never leaves us.
When I realized the firehouse was real, of course we had to go visit it!
Location
14 N Moore St, New York, NY 10013, USA
The firehouse is usually noted on any filming tours of New York City, but if you want to go on your own it is very easy to find. Located in the neighbourhood of Tribeca, the Hook & Ladder No. 8 station can be found on the corner of Varick Street and N Moore Street. The architecture in Tribeca is so beautiful and old that just walking around won't disappoint!
Tribeca is a popular destination for tourists, and much like the rest of the neighbourhood of New York, it can be a bit overwhelming to know what to do and see. I found this blog post by Please, Do Tell that is one of the most thorough and trendy lists of different coffee shops, restaurants and bars to try. She specifically mentions Tiny’s for coffee and Billy’s for cupcakes.
Firehouse History
In addition to the Hook & Ladder No. 8 firehouse being one of the most recognizable filming locations in New York it is still a totally functional fire station. This building has been in service for over 100 years, and it's actually older than the Fire Department of New York.
In 1903, this firehouse was built in place of an old school in order to better service the community. Originally it was twice as wide with two arched doorways, but when Varick Street was widened in 1913, part of the original building was demolished.
The Hook & Ladder No. 8 firehouse was cemented in history when the exterior was used in Ghostbusters (1986). As writer and star Dan Aykroyd was familiar with the area, he had originally suggested it as a filming location.
In 2011, due to budget cuts 20 firehouses across New York City were set to close. But after a public campaign to save Hook & Ladder No. 8, supported by Mayor Bill de Blasio and actor Steve Buscemi (who was a firefighter from 1980-1984), the station remains in tack.
Architecture
The building design is a Beaux-Arts style, with tall windows on each story and an arched doorway for fire trucks. Beaux-Arts is a common architectural style that can be found across New York - most famously, Grand Central. This firehouse was the first in a series of stations to have this design, which is why you can see similar fire stations throughout New York.
Firehouse Today
After being saved in 2011, the Hook & Ladder No. 8 are in the latter phases of a $6 million renovation, implying that this firehouse will continue to be inservice for years to come.
Due to the high volume of tourists and fans who come to the firehouse, a few themed updates have been made. The Ghostbusers logo has been painted on the front sidewalk, and the Ghostbusers and Ghostbuster 2 logo signage hangs inside.
To follow up the ever popular 2014 LEGO set of the Ecto-1 (the Ghostbuster car), in 2016 LEGO released a full set of the station. If LEGO makes a set of your building, is that not the ultimate compliment?
Firehouse On Screen
As I mentioned above, only the exterior of the Hook & Ladder No. 8 was used in Ghostbusters. The interior was a combination of sound stages and former LA firehouse Fire Station No. 23. But there are quite a few exterior shots of this firehouse.
When we first see the Hook & Ladder No. 8, it’s supposed to be abandoned. So the windows are covered, there is graffiti covering the main entry and there are a couple of “For Sale” signs.
Peter Venkman (Bill Murray) stands outfront as the ‘Ghostbuster’ sign is being hung, when Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) rolls up in black fixer-upper, excited that he found a new company car.
The Ecto-1 can be seen speeding out of the station when the Ghostbusters get their first call, as they head to The Sedgewick Hotel to pick up Slimer.
The police drop off Louis Tully (Rick Moranis) at the headquarters, and Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis) and Janine Melnitz (Annie Potts) bring him inside.
And the biggest scene that takes place at the firehouse is of course when Walter Peck (William Atherton), the inspector for the Environmental Protection agency, releases all the ghosts from their high voltage laser containment system.
Which was your HALLOWEEN favourite movie? Let us know in the comments!
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references
Goicochea, Julia. “The 10 Best Cafés in Tribeca, Manhattan”. Culture Trip, 8 July 2017.
Grundhauser, Eric. “The Fascinating History of the NYC Fire Station That Starred in Ghostbusters”. GISMODO, 09 December, 2015.
Kit. “What to do in Tribeca.” The Kittchen, 21 January 2020.
Lourdes. “A Perfect Day: Tribeca” Please, Do Tell. 14 February 2018.
Roberts, Janey. “History of Ghostbusters role in New York’s Hook & Ladder Company 8”. Classic New York History. 2018.
Fandom Wiki: Ghostbusters