Chin Gigante, Mafia Boss An anthology of True Crime

Greenwich Village resides on Manhattan's Lower West side and is bordered by the magnificent Hudson River. It is the sort of place where a visitor could wander into one of its many bars only to find the likes of Paul Simon strumming away on his guitar. A crowd of regulars will be foot-tapping in time while those whose aspirations for entering the establishment had been limited to the prospect of a chilled beer listen in wonderment. It was not impossible that the 60s icon would be accompanied by Woody Allen on sax. Greenwich Village holds that mystery, especially when the mists descend and it becomes shrouded in dark. In its time, it has fallen a touch down at heel, although not today. Therefore, it was more than likely that those locals listening to 'Rhymin' Simon' were among the richest residents not only in New York but the whole of the United States. It takes a fair income in order to be able to afford the property prices in the village. These days it is not unexpected to be asked to pay $25,000 per square metre for a home there. Still, it was not always like that in Greenwich Village. The area has undergone quite a gentrification in recent times. Not that it was ever noted for its poverty. The very name Greenwich derives from the Dutch word for green. Nevertheless, it is not the first place that we might think of as the home of a notorious mafia boss. Then again Vincent Gigante was anything but the typical picture of a mafia Don most of us hold in our heads. Vincenzo (Vincent) Luigi Gigante - he would later acquire the sobriquet 'The Chin' (along with others) - was born on March the 29th 1928 to Yolanda and Salvatore Gigante, the latter a watchmaker. They were Italian immigrants. Vincent was raised at number 181 Thompson St. and Greenwich Village would remain his home for much of his life. In the late 50s he took an apartment just down the road at 206 Thompson St and then he moved to nearby Sullivan St, where he lived for much of the remainder of his life. Certainly, as his wealth grew, he acquired other properties but home was always Greenwich Village. He was never away for long except, of course, for his time spent behind bars.