Did you watch the Sopranos and question the accuracy of some plot points, wondering if they were mere stereotyping or true to life, like: Do mafia bosses seek therapy to help make sense of their iffy life choices? Is deli meat best eaten wearing a robe, in front of an open fridge? Was the construction industry really subject to mafia interference?
We’re here with answers to these questions; in order: They absolutely should. It certainly is. And while we won’t speculate on the present, the past of the construction industry featured some less than lawful figures.
Welcome to the story of the “Concrete Club,” where construction and organized crime intersected in ways that would make even Hollywood take notice.
The Foundation of the Concrete Club
The term “Concrete Club” might sound like an exclusive networking group for contractors, but it’s far from that. In the mid-20th century, this phrase became synonymous with the mafia’s stranglehold on the New York construction industry. The mob didn’t just have their hands in illegal gambling or speakeasies; they laid the literal foundations of the city’s skyline.
Concrete was, and still is, the lifeblood of urban development. It’s the stuff that holds our cities together—roads, bridges, skyscrapers, you name it. But during the height of organized crime, controlling the supply of concrete meant controlling the city’s growth. The mafia understood this, and they made sure to cement their dominance (pun intended).
In the 1960s and 70s, New York’s concrete industry was worth billions – and it was anything but a free market. The New York City Mob was made up of five notoriously violent families: Gambino, Genovese, Colombo, Lucchese, and Bonanno. These families in turn controlled the Concrete Club, an informal association of the city’s largest concrete contractors. Through this club, they rigged bids, dictated prices, and made sure that anyone who wanted to build in the city had to pay tribute.
According to testimony given in the 1986 trial of Carmine “The Snake” Persico (head of the Colombo crime family) and nine others on racketeering charges, payments were expected for ”labor peace”, and any concrete contract over $2 million turned over 2% of the gross contract.
This wasn’t just about money, though. It was about power. The mob had connections everywhere—from city officials to union bosses—and they used these ties to keep their grip on the industry. If a contractor refused to play ball, they might find their projects plagued with mysterious delays, or worse, have their sites visited by a few unfriendly faces.
Why the Construction and Concrete Industries Were Susceptible to Mob Influence
- Complexity of Projects: The construction process, particularly in New York City, involved numerous teams of skilled and unskilled workers for different phases (excavation, foundation, electrical, plumbing, interiors, etc.). Each team was hired separately through subcontractors, making regulation and oversight difficult, which opened the door for corruption.
- Fragmented Bidding Process for Public Projects: Public construction projects were even more complicated due to federal regulations. These regulations required that large projects be split into multiple contracts, making supervision harder and increasing costs. This fragmentation diluted government control, allowing the Mafia to step in unnoticed.
- Corrupt Government Workers: Over time, some government officials not only ignored Mob activities but actively supported them by approving projects that didn’t meet safety codes, rushing paperwork, and allowing the use of substandard materials. This compromised both worker safety and the quality of buildings.
- Widespread Theft of Materials: Workers regularly stole valuable materials like metal wiring or pipes from job sites to make extra money. This was a common issue across the industry, contributing to additional financial losses and inefficiency.
- Contractor Fraud: Some contractors also contributed to the problem by avoiding federal and state taxes through cash payrolls, which reduced public funds needed for projects like roads, schools, and public housing.
- Leverage Over Time-Sensitive Projects: The Mafia’s Concrete Club had significant power because of their control over concrete deliveries. Even a short delay could cause costly setbacks in the tightly scheduled world of construction, giving the Mob the ability to demand payments or concessions from contractors who feared project delays.
These factors combined to make the construction and concrete industries especially vulnerable to Mob infiltration, leading to widespread corruption and inefficiency.
The Cost of Corruption
The corruption ran deep, affecting not just the integrity of the construction industry but the very fabric of the city itself. Buildings were rushed or poorly constructed, corners were cut, and the safety of workers was often an afterthought. The mob’s influence also meant that legitimate companies found it nearly impossible to compete unless they too were willing to get their hands dirty.
One particularly big name linked to these questionable practices? Firms with mob ties were hired to erect Trump Tower and the Trump Plaza apartment building in Manhattan. Concrete was acquired (at extortionate prices) from a company controlled by mafia chieftains Anthony “Fat Tony” Salerno and Paul Castellano.
But like all things tied to organized crime, the Concrete Club’s reign couldn’t last forever. The 1980s saw a series of high-profile investigations that led to the downfall of several key mafia figures. The FBI, working with local authorities, began dismantling the mob’s hold on the construction industry. Indictments, arrests, and trials followed, exposing the web of corruption that had been hidden in plain sight for decades.
Lessons from the Past
Today, the Concrete Club is a relic of a bygone era, but its legacy serves as a stark reminder of what happens when corruption seeps into critical industries. The construction world has come a long way since then, with tighter regulations and more oversight. However, the story of the Concrete Club underscores the importance of vigilance in maintaining the integrity of the industry.
At Corfix, we’re all about transparency, efficiency, and trust. The history of the Concrete Club shows us how vital these values are—not just for our business, but for the communities we help build. As we continue to innovate and push the industry forward, we do so with the knowledge that every project we undertake stands on a foundation of honesty and quality. And when we hire former construction professionals, we always check their resume to see if they worked on The Esplanade 😉
Top 10 Construction Projects Rumored to Hide Bodies
When it comes to urban legends and conspiracy theories, the construction industry has no shortage of stories. From mob hits to missing persons, here are the top ten construction projects rumored to conceal bodies beneath their concrete and steel.
But take these with a grain (or heaping teaspoon) of salt. Just as we explored in our article on the Hoover Dam, bodies in concrete could create structural problems over the years, which is why these urban legends are unlikely to be true.
1. The Meadowlands Sports Complex (New Jersey)
Perhaps the most famous unsolved mystery in American history, the disappearance of union leader Jimmy Hoffa in 1975 has led to endless speculation. One of the most persistent rumors is that Hoffa’s remains were buried under the end zone of Giants Stadium at the Meadowlands. While the stadium was demolished in 2010, no remains were ever found.
2. The Hoover Dam (Nevada/Arizona)
Given its massive scale and the hazardous conditions workers faced, it’s no wonder urban legends suggest bodies are entombed in the Hoover Dam’s concrete. While it’s true that over 100 workers died during construction, experts assure us that no bodies were left in the concrete—if only to preserve the dam’s structural integrity.
>> Read more about the construction of the Hoover Dam <<
3. The Brooklyn Bridge (New York)
The Brooklyn Bridge, completed in 1883, is a marvel of engineering. But some believe that the rush to finish the project led to the hurried burial of workers who perished during construction. The bridge’s massive stone foundations, sunk deep into the East River, are said to hold more than just steel and stone.
4. Alcatraz Island (San Francisco, California)
Before becoming one of the most infamous prisons in the world (and the setting of Nic Cage’s greatest performance), Alcatraz was the site of a military fort. Rumors persist that during its construction and later, while building the prison, bodies of laborers or inmates were secretly buried within its walls or under its concrete foundations.
5. The Fort Peck Dam (Montana)
Another major public works project, the Fort Peck Dam, has its share of ghostly tales. Built during the New Deal, this dam saw numerous worker deaths. Local legends suggest that some of those workers never left the site, their bodies accidentally or purposefully sealed within the dam’s structure.
6. The Chrysler Building (New York)
During the height of its construction in the late 1920s, New York’s skyscrapers were going up at a breakneck pace. The Chrysler Building, with its art deco elegance, was no exception. Stories suggest that several workers who fell from the dizzying heights were buried in the building’s concrete foundation.
7. The CN Tower (Toronto, Canada)
Toronto’s CN Tower, once the world’s tallest free-standing structure, also has a dark reputation. There are whispers that during its construction in the 1970s, at least one worker who died tragically on-site was left within the structure. No evidence supports this, but the rumors persist. So much for that famous Canadian niceness, eh?
8. The Interstate Highway System (Various locations, USA)
The massive scale of the Interstate Highway System, initiated in the 1950s, created ample opportunities for rumors. Stories abound that mob hits and missing persons were hidden under various sections of the highways, their bodies forever entombed in the concrete that stretches across the country.
9. The Empire State Building (New York)
The Empire State Building, an icon of American architecture, was built in record time. But with such speed came danger, and several workers lost their lives during its construction. Some believe that a few of these men were quietly buried within the walls, forever part of the building they helped create.
10. The Pontchartrain Causeway (Louisiana)
Spanning over 24 miles across Lake Pontchartrain, this causeway has long been rumored to hide more than just its pilings under the water. Stories suggest that mobsters used the construction to dispose of bodies, sinking them into the murky depths where they would never be found
Sources
Websites:
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/05/donald-trump-2016-mob-organized-crime-213910/
Books:
Goldstock, Ronald. Corruption and Racketeering in the New York City Construction Industry: The Final Report of the New York State Organized Crime Taskforce. New York, NYU Press, 1987.
Journal Articles:
Ichniowski, Casey, and Anne Preston. “The Persistence of Organized Crime in New York City Construction: An Economic Perspective.” Industrial and Labor Relations Review, Vol. 42, No. 4, Jul., 1989, pp. 549-565
Moore, Mark H., and R. Zachary Tumin. “Building Clean: The Control of Crime, Corruption, and Racketeering in the Public Construction Markets of New York City”. Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University, February 1996