Art World
5Pointz Demolition Will Start in August
Cait Munro
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It appears the long-awaited tear down of the whitewashed 5Pointz, a former Long Island City street art mecca, is finally upon us. According to DNAinfo, building owner Jerry Wolkoff has announced that he will begin demolishing the property as early as August. While demolition permits have not yet been issued, the owner is eager to start razing the buildings as soon as possible in order to make way for the construction of two high-rise, luxury towers that will contain approximately 1,000 apartments.
The project has continually been met with staunch opposition from those who sought to preserve the space as a canvas for local artists and a destination for tourists. Last fall, a group of artists attempted to block the demolition with a lawsuit, which led to Wolkoff suddenly whitewashing the site overnight, outraging fans and community members. He maintains the choice was made to lessen the blow of the art being slowly destroyed over the course of the demolition. “That’s a three, four month process,” he said. “To watch that over the months is torturous.”
There are plans to designate certain walls on the new building for artists to paint, but for now, it looks like it’s finally time to say goodbye to an old friend. At least we’ll always have you on Google Street Art.
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