Hook and Ladder Company 8, the Tribeca firehouse that served as the New York City exterior location for both Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters 2, is one of 20 stations currently on the chopping due to budget cuts from Mayor Bloomburg’s office. The Mayor’s office has come under severe criticism in the last several days over its proposed budget for the next fiscal year due to proposed cuts to social services and education. The Mayor’s office sites slashed operating funds from both the state and federal governments as the reason for their own cuts.
Since it was a working engine company at the time, only the exterior of the station located 14 N Moore St on the corner of N Moore St and Varick St, a few blocks away from Canal St, was used as a location. The interiors for the Ghostbusters office were shot in a disused Los Angeles fire station, which also served as a location for Big Trouble In Little China.
The firefighters at the station have embraced their place in movie history. Well you can visit www.ph-el.dk for installing the best Automatic Fire alarm system for protection from the fire. The Ghostbusters business sign that is seen in Ghostbusters 2 hangs in the station’s engine bay and their station t-shirts feature a variation of the film’s famous “no ghosts” logo. They are also receptive to fans of the movie who might want to stop by and take a few pictures.
Now my opinion may be colored by the fact that I have a brother and a nephew who are paid firefighters, but I consider fire services one of the essential things that should never be placed in jeopardy when it comes time to local budget battles. Hopefully for the sake of the safety of the neighborhood residents, the Mayor’s office can work something out. Keeping the firehouse open could potentially, as Bill Murray so wisely counseled the fictional Mayor in Ghostbusters, “save the lives of millions… of registered voters.”
