FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP INC   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol GRIFFON CORP [GFF] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director __X__ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) 85 BROAD ST 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 02/04/2009 (Street) NEW YORK, NY 10004 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) ___ Form filed by One Reporting Person _X_ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 02/04/2009   A   2,122 (2) A $ 0 10,002,122 I See footnotes (1) (3) (4)

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP INC 85 BROAD ST NEW YORK, NY 10004		X
GOLDMAN SACHS & CO 85 BROAD STREET NEW YORK, NY 10004		X
GS Direct, L.L.C. 85 BROAD STREET NEW YORK, NY 10004		X

Signatures

/s/ Yvette Kosic, Attorney-in-fact		02/06/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date
/s/ Yvette Kosic, Attorney-in-fact		02/06/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date
/s/ Yvette Kosic, Attorney-in-fact		02/06/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	This statement is being filed by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. ("GS Group"), Goldman, Sachs & Co. ("Goldman Sachs") and GS Direct, L.L.C. ("GS Direct", and together with GS Group and Goldman Sachs, the "Reporting Persons").
(2)	On February 4, 2009, 2,122 shares of common stock, par value $0.25 per share (the "Common Stock") of Griffon Corporation (the "Company") were granted as 1,061 shares of Common Stock to each of Gerald J. Cardinale and Bradley J. Gross, each a managing director of Goldman Sachs, in their capacity as directors of the Company pursuant to the Company's Outside Director Stock Award Plan (the "Plan"). Each grant of 1,061 shares vests one third on each of the next three anniversaries of the grant date, which was February 4, 2009.
(3)	GS Group may be deemed to beneficially own 2,122 shares of Common Stock pursuant to the Plan, consisting of 1,061 shares of Common Stock granted to each of Gerald J. Cardinale and Bradley J. Gross. Messrs. Cardinale and Gross each has an understanding with GS Group pursuant to which he holds such securities for the benefit of GS Group. Each of Goldman Sachs and GS Group disclaims beneficial ownership of the securities reported herein except to the extent of its pecuniary interest therein.
(4)	GS Group and Goldman Sachs may be deemed to beneficially own indirectly, in the aggregate, 10,000,000 shares of the Company's Common Stock, beneficially owned directly by GS Direct. Goldman Sachs and GS Direct are wholly-owned subsidiaries of GS Group. Goldman Sachs is the manager of GS Direct. The Reporting Persons each disclaim beneficial ownership of the securities reported herein except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein. Goldman Sachs has net open short positions of 312,989 shares of Common Stock.

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