http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/03/06/2011-03-06_spray_it_aint_so_redesign_may_nix_famed_5pointz_graffiti.htmlDevelopment redesign may nix
famed 5Pointz graffiti hub
in Long Island CityBY John Lauinger
Sunday, March 6th 2011, 4:00 AM
The street-art mecca 5Pointz may soon be redeveloped, ending the
Long Island City landmark's reign as a graffiti playground. The iconic graffiti-caked Long Island City factory known as
5Pointz has been tagged for development, likely ending its run as a street-art mecca.
The building's owner, developer
Jerry Wolkoff, said he met recently with city planning officials to discuss replacing it with two high-rise residential towers and up to 1,300 rental units.
Wolkoff wants to dramatically remake the entire block along Jackson Ave. that surrounds 5Pointz, where the No. 7 train rumbles past.
He plans to formally submit a proposal to the city within the next two weeks. The size and scope of the project are still being worked out.
Artists fear that Wolkoff's vision for the factory's future would snuff out one of the city's unique creative communities.
"If it were to happen, it would be no different than tearing down the
MOMA or the
Guggenheim," said
Jonathan Cohen, the founder of the 5Pointz collective.
Since the early 1990s, aerosol artists have transformed the decaying post-industrial relic into a renowned work of urban art.
Each year artists spray-paint 1,000 new works on the building's concrete and steel canvass.
"It is not just any other building with graffiti on it. It is the epicenter for graffiti artists from all over the world," Cohen said.
Wolkoff has owned the old factory since 1971 and long supported the work of the graffiti artists.
He told
The News in an exclusive interview that his plans include a mix of shops and restaurants, a supermarket, an open-air concourse between the towers and a park. There would also be studio space for artists.
The city rezoned the block in a 2001 plan to spur redevelopment around Queens Plaza.
The change allows large-scale redevelopment. But Wolkoff's plans call for the taller of the two towers to rise some 40 stories, which will require a special permit and likely a zoning change.
That means the plans must be approved through the city's zoning and land-use review process.
Wolkoff said his $300 million project would revitalize the area and provide for thousands of construction jobs.
"It is important for Long Island City, and it is important for Queens," he said.
Queens Community Board 2 head
Joseph Conley said there will always be local concerns about the impact of new developments, but the area needs revitalization.
"The manufacturing that was there is long gone," he said.
Cohen questions whether the "magic" of 5Pointz can be replicated.
"It is the gateway to Queens," he said. "I don't know if it could be somewhere else."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/07/5pointz-graffiti-mecca-is_n_832243.html#s249826&title=5_Pointz_grafitti
