Famed graffiti-laced building 5Pointz is likely to be torn down for development.
NYDailyNews.com reports that the factory building’s owner, Jerry Wolkoff, said he recently met with city planning officials to discuss replacing the outdoor display with two high-rise residential towers and up to 1,300 rental units.
The move has prompted concerns from several artists. “If it were to happen, it would be no different than tearing down the MOMA or the Guggenheim,” explained 5Pointz collective founder Jonathan Cohen.
The structure has been a canvas for artists since the early 1990s. “It is not just any other building with graffiti on it. It is the epicenter for graffiti artists from all over the world,” added Cohen.
Wolkoff, who has owned the factory since 1971, and has supported the work of the graffiti artists throughout the years, indicated that his plans include a number of shops and restaurants, a supermarket and a park, in addition to a studio space for artists.
“It is important for Long Island City, and it is important for Queens,” he said of the redevelopment project, which is expected to provide for thousands of construction jobs.
like they cudnt pick anotha spot to erect all that….this is a piece of history, a monumental mecca of hip hop….fuck the city planners…if its gona b like this i suggest hip hop artists start creatin a fund or an association whereby evry critical issue in regards to preserving our DNA…..and stop buyin a fleet of cars like my chick gona date u…..flex sum responsibilities towards the masses coz its the masses that buys yo album….5POINTZ SALUTE
true that!!!
this is bullshit!!!! we can’t allow this to happen!!! not at all! He said it himself, it’s the Epicenter for Graffiti artists all over the world. We literally just our video there and now this???? Thats like the Illest place for a real HipHop head to go and chill. This is so sad, I hope they don’t do that, i’ll be crushed!
Mann, this’d be a crushing blow for hip hop. People need to stop marginalizing graff as an art form. It’ll be a sad day if this goes through.
Insted of us just sitting and waiting someone needs too start a petition or something! Come on ! We need to act insted of just sitting on ur asses while our culture is destroyed!
Here’s a compromise… Why not add rental units from the rooftop up? And you can convert the warehouse area into a walk-in shopping center (aka a mall, lol).
You can put the studio space in there too.. just add elevators in the back that take you to the apartments or condos or whatever..
As long as it doesn’t interfere with the integrity of the art on the outside of the building there’s no reason why all parties involved can’t be happy with the right arrangement..
you obviously know nothing about construction
Well since you do know about construction why don’t you stop being a jag off and say why it wouldn’t work?
tear dat shit down. yall actin like it aint a million otha abandoned buildings in NY to write on
this is bullshit indeed….. anyone who says ‘tear dat shit down’ doesn’t understand the importance of 5 ptz…. 5 ptz is inspiration 2 everyone…even those who don’t write…. the 7 line would not be the same without it… queens would not be the same without it….. 5 pointz needs 2 be saved….. let’s get some petitions going people
Yeah! Tear that shit down!
First The Fat Boys break up… then the feds shut down OnSmash….
Now This….
HipHop they killing you….
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!