4. The fire station where Ghostbusters was filmed was actually split in half
In the 1910s, in order to extend the IRT, Varick Street had to be widened by 35 feet. Many buildings were torn down, including the aforementioned St. John’s Chapel. Just a block south, the 1903 Beaux-Arts fire station constructed for the Hook & Ladder company at the corner of Varick and North Moore Streets was actually sliced in half. It originally had two garage doors and accommodated two fire engines. The station was so beautiful that rather than demolishing it, the city managed to keep half of it intact.
In 1984, the fire station gained international fame as a filming location for Ghostbusters starring Bill Murray. A Ghostbusters sign still hangs inside the station, but unfortunately it’s not open to the public for visits, as it’s still a working firehouse. It was also featured in an episode of Seinfeld.
