Greenpoint locals fume as possibly unlicensed weed shop could be moving in to massive, landmarked bank

They want to put the green in Greenpoint.A historic, landmarked bank in the trendy Brooklyn neighborhood could be turned into a pot shop run by an outfit that already runs an unlicensed operation in nearby Bushwick — leaving locals fuming.A notice warning neighbors that the 420-friendly business might be moving in was seen Friday plastered on the giant, granite edifice of the Greenpoint Savings Bank, which has sat empty for four years.“I’m not against the pot one way or the other, it just seems like we’re getting a lot of dispensaries in the neighborhood,” local resident Carl Gunhouse told The Post.“If you told me it was going to be a movie theater or a good Indian restaurant I’d be a lot more happy.It just seems like we’re getting a lot of them.”According to the notice, Altitude Cannabis Club “plans to open a cannabis storefront,” a proposal that will be reviewed at an upcoming Community Board meeting.If approved, the smoke shop will be the first business inside the Neo-Classical style building since 2020.Altitude Cannabis Club already runs an unlicensed storefront in Bushwick.

It’s not clear what the new store’s license status will be, though its webpage claims it will be a “top-tier” legal recreational dispensary.The business, however, is not listed within the Office of Cannabis Management database where all legal, licensed stores are named.

Community members have already raised concerns about the possibility of a smoke shop invading the former bank — which is within a three-block radius of two public elementary schools.“I live in the neighborhood, and a lot of weed shops have popped up just to be, kind of shut down just as quickly so it’s a bit surprising to hear that such a large building would be, popping up as the new, dispensary when all the other smaller ones seem to be struggling already,” Ian Gutbertson, 33, said.“This is a very large, impressive building and they could probably find a better use with a more secu...