Community wants 'Gates of Hell' slammed shut

Community members are demanding the condemned Glenwood Power Station in Yonkers, referred to as the "Gates of Hell," be closed to curb gang activity. The building, which was built in 1904, once generated

News 12 Staff

May 15, 2008, 7:47 PM

Updated 5,848 days ago

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Community wants 'Gates of Hell' slammed shut
Community members are demanding the condemned Glenwood Power Station in Yonkers, referred to as the "Gates of Hell," be closed to curb gang activity.
The building, which was built in 1904, once generated electricity for the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad, but closed in the 60s. It's now known as a hangout spot and unconfirmed location for brutal gang initiations.
A miniature noose hanging from a pipe, beer cans, broken glass and rusty metal occupy the large space. Graffiti from Mount Vernon Middle School gang wannabes, the "Goonies," to more well-known street gangs adorn the walls.
"You can see everything from swastikas to some Bloods tags to Crips," says Jim Bostic, of the Yonkers Anti-Gang Coalition. "Some others are Latin Kings and Queens, Vatos Locos. It's appropriately named the Gates of Hell."
Bostic believes it's proof that something more sinister is taking place at the location, although police say they've only found kids skipping school at the site.
"We've heard that just last week over 100 young girls were indoctrinated into gangs, and the method that was used is they were 'sexed in,'" says Bostic. He also claims boys are "jumped" into gangs in the Gates of Hell.
In the gang culture, girls who are "sexed in" are forced to engage in sex acts with one or more gang members. Males who are "jumped in" must endure brutal beatings in order to gain entrance into the gang.A neighbor, who didn't want to go on camera, tells News 12 Westchester he recently heard the sounds of gunshots and girls screaming coming from the building after dark.
"It's unconscionable that this could be allowed to go on and that the city or whoever owns that property don't seal it up so that our children's lives are not in jeopardy," Bostic says.
After being contacted by News 12, the city says it put pressure on the owner to board up the building, but that has yet to happen.


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