explore your boro 40 | BOROMAG.COM | DECEMBER 2013 BY ANGY ALTAMIRANO What took 11 years to put together at 5Pointz was erased within six hours. Days after supporters rallied at the Long Island City graffiti mecca to save it, a paint crew washed away hundreds of pieces of aerosol art with white paint. Some remnants of the pieces can still be seen, but a majority of the façade is now covered. Jerry Wolkoff, who owns the property on Jackson Avenue and Davis Street, ordered the overnight painting, according to 5Pointz attorney Jeannine Chanes and 5Pointz spokesperson Marie Cecile Flageul. “I know it’s real but I can’t believe it. Wolkoff disrespected thousands of artists overnight,” Flageul said, holding back tears. “It’s crazy when you think about it because we’re supposed to be the vandals. He’s the vandal.” According to Flageul, the paint crew arrived at the site with police protection around 1 a.m. on Tuesday, November 19 and finished painting the building around 7 a.m. She received a call about the painting at 6 a.m. and shortly rushed to the site with 5Pointz curator Jonathan Cohen. Witnessing painters still covering the walls, the two tried to enter the building’s loading dock, she said, but were stopped and asked for identification. “I’m disgusted,” said Cohen, who now plans on moving out of Long Island City. “Jerry, congratulations. Enjoy your moment and realize long after you’re gone, your son will live on with this legacy, and his son will live on with that legacy, and no one is going to talk to you about anything you built real estate-wise. But they’ll remember you for this.” Both Flageul and Cohen said they saw no safety workers or caution tape and an online search found no Department of Buildings permit. As news of the painting broke, fans and artists were left in shock after thousands filled out forms to request 5Pointz be landmarked at a peaceful gathering on Saturday, November 16. Earlier, a Brooklyn judge ruled against a request for a preliminary injunction, seeking to protect the different aerosol pieces found around 5Pointz. The judge also lifted a temporary restraining order, allowing the owners of the property and developer G&M Realty to continue with any pre-demolition activities at the site. Developers and owners hope to build two apartment towers, each exceeding 40 feet, with close to 1,000 rental apartments, 32,000 square feet of outdoor public space and 50,000 square feet of retail space. Even with the art gone at 5Pointz, the fight Photo by Angy Altamirano will continue, said Chanes. The initial lawsuit filed by the group will continue and now includes claims against the owners for destroying evidence while a case is pending, potentially costing the Wolkoffs $150,000 in damages per piece of art. The group will also consider appealing the denial of their preliminary injunction, based on a written opinion by the judge. Cohen said all proceeds from the lawsuit would go towards building a community center. Artists, community members and supporters gathered on the 5Pointz loading dock for a vigil, lighting candles, hanging artwork on canvases and signing pieces of paper taped to the walls. Stefanie Nava of Long Island City lit a candle and placed it along the wall. “It’s just really sad and incredibly depressing. Nobody can believe it,” she said. During the vigil, Cohen told attendees they need hundreds of people to show up for the next court date. “Wolkoff just did what 16-year-old kids do at night time,” Cohen said, “and he did it in front of police, in front of everyone, in front of people on the train and got away with it. I’ll fight in the court till the end.” Wolkoff and his attorney did not respond to a request for comment.
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