Nosy Neighbor: What Goes on at 444 Greenwich?

A “Nosy Neighbor” question that’s been on my mind for months: What goes on at 444 Greenwich? —M.

I wasn’t positive which building was 444 Greenwich—sometimes Google Maps just isn’t sure of itself—so I walked over. I had never really thought about that building, always assuming, I guess, it was related to the garage to the south. “444” is on the red door on the right of the building above; the door in the left bay (with the red graffiti on it) says “442.” Some guys were standing in front of 444, so I couldn’t take a photo, and it didn’t even occur to me to ask what goes on inside—partially because I had Howard with me, and he can turn agitated with strangers.

Back home, I Googled “‘444 Greenwich’ NYC”, and amid the search-result noise were a historical result (in 1903, someone named Anglim died there) and a listing for Superhot Messenger Service. Googling the company’s name got me a phone number, which I called. Sometimes when I start a conversation with “I’m calling from a website about Tribeca…,” it doesn’t go well, for whatever reason, and this was one of those times when the guy who answered simply couldn’t understand why I was calling or what I was asking. Anyway, during our attempt at conversation he confirmed that 444 Greenwich was a “warehouse” for Superhot Messenger Service.

For all I know, there’s more to this story—I’m curious about the layout of the building’s interior, that’s for sure—but I’m satisfied enough. Except that I’m jealous of anyone who gets to answer the phone by saying, “Superhot.”

UPDATE: “I often see Medical Examiner vans inside the garage and vans parked outside the garage,” emailed a reader. “I believe police use this location to outfit vehicles for surveillance purposes. One example: I saw inside one of the vans parked outside last year and noticed dozens of screens, surveillance equipment, and seats in the back area of the van.” Maybe it’s Arne Svenson’s? I kid! “It’s surprising to me this building hasn’t been razed to the ground to become another Sterling Mason or Sugar Warehouse,”—or Truffles, more likely—”but if it is indeed for police purposes, then I imagine that’s the reason it hasn’t converted yet.” If so, no one is likely to tell me anything—so we’ll have to crowdsource it. Send any info to tribecacitozen@gmail.com or feel free to call/text at 917-209-6473.

Got a question? Email it to tribecacitizen@gmail.com.

Previous Nosy Neighbor posts:
When will the Chambers Street Elevators be fixed?
Why are Goldman Sachs’s lights always on?
When will Pier 25 be fully restored?
What’s the story with the Batmobile?
Is 5 Franklin Place stalled again?
What’s going on with 88 Thomas?
Is another Equinox opening in IPN?
Is this the new dog run?
Any update on the Chambers construction?
Who’s responsible for the snowflake lights?
Is the scaffolding on 110 Hudson ever coming down?
Are the Hudson and Chambers reconstructions delayed?
What’s going on at 165 Church?
Is 93 Reade adding a floor?
Why is Pier 25 ripped up?
Is 28 N. Moore going residential?
Why does cobblestoning require sprinklers?
Do newspaper boxes need permits?
Why does 161 Duane say “Whalebone”?
What’s the story behind those Harrison townhouses?
What are those white things at 137 Franklin?
What’s that thing at W. Broadway and Leonard?
What happens to old cobblestones?
Are buses allowed to idle on Laight?
What’s happening with the Verizon building?
Will the construction at Hudson and Laight ever end?
What is Esoteric on Walker Street?
Is N. Moore getting cobblestoned?
What’s happening at 73 Warren?
Can you recommend any Tribeca picture books?
Why are those shuttles on Greenwich?
Who enforces sidewalk-café regulations?
What’s going on at 27 Desbrosses?
When will those trailers on West Street go away?
Do you know anything about 20-24 Varick?
What’s happening to my parking lot?
Is Pier 26 being worked on again?
What are those black pellets on Pier 25?
What do the characters on 47 Vestry mean?
Where is the Special Forces monument going?
Who’s moving into 151 Hudson?
What’s going on at 172 Duane?
What’s up with those Verizon carts?
Where was the original Blues Bar?
Who are the guys in the geeky pants?
Why are the windows above Ponte’s boarded up?
Can we walk on the West Street medians?
What’s going on in 157 Hudson?
What’s the new painting at 153 Hudson?
What is this P.C. Richard & Son Theater I keep hearing about?
What’s the story behind the lights at 289 Church?
What’s the Dream House at 275 Church?
How come every every film and TV shoot seems to have a trailer with doors marked “Lucy” and “Desi”?

 

4 Comments

  1. Cash Cab used to operate out of this garage.

  2. Agree with the comment above. May have looked like police surveilance, but I believe it was actually Cash Cab’s garage. The people who worked there were always very cagey about looking inside.

  3. for many years in the 1970’s + 80’s… it was used for recycling and commercial garbage trucks–pungent in the warm months, and the trucks were also parked along the street ….reputed to be mob connected…owned by Ponte’s…Two doors down from 452 Greenwich on the market now for 19 million $$.

  4. we have outfit lots of specialty vehicles at this garage, HBO Taxicab Confessions, Discovery Cash Cab & many others-