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As a landmark, a brick rowhouse in Philadelphia is certainly gritty — the home of Mafia boss Angelo Bruno where he was murdered in 1980. His bloody body was famously photographed in the passenger seat of a car out front, his mouth agape.

The Snyder Ave. house was nominated for official landmark status with the Philadelphia Historical Commission, a creative move rebuffed this week.

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The idea is fascinating.

There are times when mobsters steal headlines, dominate conversations, reflect demographic and social change, steer economic interests and change public policy — all of which are important criteria for historical significance.

Gangsters have been an enormous part of the fabric of many neighbourhoods in Canada.

It is worth asking: are organized crime landmarks worthy of being designated, even protected, as historically significant?

Perhaps some. Here are four candidates:

• 4891 Jarry St. E., Montreal: The strip mall cafe with a secret

For decades it was called Club Social Consenza and the Jarry St. E. café was the headquarters for the Montreal Mafia. This end unit of a retail strip mall is a leading contender as a historically significant Canadian organized crime landmark.