Notorious Crackhouse at 474 Greene Avenue Up In Flames
Sad and disturbing news this morning from Bedford Stuyvesant. The beautiful brownstone at 474 Greene Avenue between Bedford and Nostrand was gutted by a fire in the early morning hours today, the result of a raucous all-night party gone terribly wrong. According to an email we received from a block resident, who fell asleep finally…
Sad and disturbing news this morning from Bedford Stuyvesant. The beautiful brownstone at 474 Greene Avenue between Bedford and Nostrand was gutted by a fire in the early morning hours today, the result of a raucous all-night party gone terribly wrong. According to an email we received from a block resident, who fell asleep finally at 4:30 a.m. only to be awakened by the sound of shattering glass at 6:15 am., the building “is a well known crack house that has been in operation for at least 3 years.” A group of neighbors has been trying to work with community leaders, the NYPD and DA Charles Hynes for much of that time to no avail. There have been daily calls to the NYPD but concerned residents “have been told repeatedly that it is near impossible to shut down.” The photo, at right, from Property Shark, shows the house pre-fire with windows and doors covered in sheets to keep out unwanted eyes. “Clearly we are all in immediate danger when people are living without electricity, using candles and making crack and NO ONE in the NYC system can close down the house,” writes the tipster. “That fire was big and we were all in danger this morning.” We’ve seen the same thing on the corner of Grand and Putnam where law enforcement officials know what’s going on but are hamstrung by laws that make it close to impossible to arrest and successfully convict members of the drug trade. GMAP P*Shark
Update: Here are a couple of photos from a few minutes ago. Send more photos or comments to brownstoner@brownstoner.com.
ryanfh–as I understand it its not a particular house per se but the corner in general.
Have they returned and set up shop yet??
“We’ve seen the same thing on the corner of Grand and Putnam…”
Which house is it on Grand and Putnam? My family and I are about to move there. Thanks.
Lets sprinkle some crack on him and get out of here
at least it was a good party
yeah keep dreaming bk8
It is quite simple vanburenproud. When you are standing on a corner or working a spot you need to protect yourself, your money and your product from those who might try to rob you so you get a gun. When you deliver your wares door to door, no one but your clients will know what you have on you and you don’t have to deal in cash. No need for a firearm. You’d never be able to make these types of dealers because they don’t wear gold fronts or pants hanging off of their behinds. Don’t sleep though, there are hipsters in skinny jeans and PS Stroller moms slinging dope and smoking it too! There is also someone on your block, someone in your co-op building, a co-worker in your law firm and someone reading this who uses illegal drugs. You may not catch them with a crack pipe or see tracks on their arms because they are more than likely on prescription drugs and you’d never find them in the trap. These upper crust addicts do not have to rob or steal or go on the stroll turning tricks to support their habit because they have a little disposal income but they do live in every single Brownstone neighborhood. They do not end up in the criminal justice system. When they’ve had enough, they go to rehab either self-paid or using their health insurance and get clean.
This is truly sad….beautiful building and yes a very nice block. I absolutely agree with Bond….this so called stop snitching attitude has to stop….I really don’t care I will call the cops in a heart beat against drug dealers…when i see cops i feel alot safer, It is a shame that our own people plague our communities with drugs it is a shame that I a black woman feel weirded out by too many brother hanging out on the corner. I have nothing against cops, but I HATE drug dealers , to me they are the cancers of society.
Heather’s point is germane. It is reasonable to ask why it is that some people can buy and sell drugs among their friends behind closed doors for lifetimes with no violence, while other kinds of drug trafficking ruins neighborhoods and kills young men.