By ANTHONY CONNORS
THE DAPPER DUMP.

Little Italy has long been a favorite destination for people hungering for the flavor of New York. During the 1980s, however, the nabe's restaurants took a back seat to 247 Mulberry St. — an obscure, five-story walkup nestled between a supermarket and a bodega — which housed the infamous Ravenite Social Club, Manhattan headquarters of "Teflon Don" John Gotti.
It was at the Ravenite that Gotti made his formal ascension to the top of the Gambino crime family following the murder of Paul (Big Paul) Castellano. From then on, the Ravenite became a daily stop for the Dapper Don. His day usually began at his clubhouse in Queens, but soon his entourage of "associates" would hop in their limos for the ride to the Ravenite, where the real family business was conducted.

It may have seemed odd that Gotti, a man of impeccable grooming and style, would hang out at this seedy, bug-infested club. Especially if you took a closer look at those bugs: They were of the electronic kind, and would eventually lead to his downfall.

The Ravenite had been associated with the mob for more than a half-century, originally founded by a wiseguy named Tommy Ravva. When Gotti's mentor Aniello DellaCroce took over, law enforcement turned up the heat, using sophisticated monitoring equipment to gather evidence needed to make raids. During one such raid, DellaCroce barricaded himself in the bathroom, from which he negotiated better terms for his surrender.

When DellaCroce died of cancer, Gotti assumed formal control of the club. Knowing about the bugs in the club's two rooms, he took to conducting business in a widow's apartment two flights up. In time, the feds realized what Gotti and his crew were up to, and they bugged the apartment as well. The result? A life sentence.

After Gotti, the Ravenite lost its mob appeal. Sure, some toughs continued to come around, but the club's halcyon days of celebrity mobsters were over. Late last year, the government seized the building, and have since put it up for sale. No wiseguys need apply.

Original Story Date: 103001