6 THE QUEENS COURIER • MAY 30, 2013 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com Artists’ outrage as 5Pointz will be razed Owners plan two high-rise apartment buildings in its place BY ANGY ALTAMIRANO [email protected] 5Pointz’s owner is moving to replace the site with two high-rise apartment buildings. Community Board (CB) 2 discussed a special permit application by the Wolkoff family to develop the site, which the family has owned for decades. Residents packed the Wednesday. May 22 hearing. The plan looks to demolish the graffi tiadorned warehouses located on Jackson Avenue and Davis Street and begin construction on apartment towers by the end of the year. Long Island City “is in the midst of great change, positive change,” said David Wolkoff, who is leading the development. “We believe that with the new and attractive addition to the Jackson Avenue corridor that we are adding to this fantastic transition. It’s a transition from the past and present into the future.” Plans for the buildings — one reaching 47 stories and the other 41 stories — include close to 1,000 rental apartments, 30,000 square feet of outdoor public space and 50,000 square feet of retail space between them. But residents and members of Long Island City’s art community are looking to save what they consider a beautiful landmark. For the past 11 years, 5Pointz has welcomed aerosol artists to use the property free of charge, as long as the art was community-friendly. The warehouse has blossomed into a canvas for artists from all over the world. To keep the art community involved in the development, Wolkoff said plans for the towers include art walls where murals can be painted, seven artists’ working spaces and a gallery. “The building will be a homage to art and artists while creating a new and wonderfully exciting place to live and to play,” said Wolkoff. However, audience members including artists who have worked on 5Pointz questioned Wolkoff’s intentions and voiced their opposition to the plan. “In the past when development happens, the neighborhood is going to change and I’m not sure if the local artists are going to be here,” said Gabriel Roldos of Local Project, an arts nonprofit which is among the tenants at 5Pointz. Jonathan Cohen, founder and curator of 5Pointz, took the stand Wednesday night to thank the Wolkoff family for giving him the chance to take on the project 11 years ago. Yet Cohen’s appreciation quickly shifted to disappointment. “My only regret is that the same people who allowed me to, unknowingly, create such a cultural gem don’t see it as I do,” he said. Residents and members of the LIC art community gathered to voice their opposition on the demolition of 5Pointz. As the meeting progressed, protesters gathered outside holding signs against the fl oor-to-ceiling windows. Some of the signs accused the family of neighborhood neglect. One sign asked CB2 chair Joseph Conley to listen to the community carefully. “In America there is change, but there are also some things that ought not be changed,” said George Colon, a graffi ti artist and founder of SSB, one the largest graffi ti crews in New York City. “If the price of this is worth the future generations, then it’s your conscience.” Angel Del Villar claimed that the community owns the building, eliciting audience THE COURIER/Photo by Angy Altamirano cheers. He asked those present to join him in the future to make a chain around the building to prevent the demolition. “Do you guys think that any of that stuff is as attractive as the most beautiful building in the whole world?” Del Villar said. “Is it mandatory to change things we’ve gotten right? Why don’t we change the things we’ve gotten wrong?” Community Board 2 will vote on the special permit application at its next meeting on June 6. If the fi rst step is approved, 5Pointz is scheduled to be demolished by the end of the year. The fi rst tower is slated to go up by 2015. DISCOVER THE MEANING BEHIND THE BIGGEST MOVIES OF THE SUMMER T THE JOURNEY CHURCH SUNDAYS @ 9:05am or 10:30am Meets at: UA Midway Movie Theatre 108-22 Queens Blvd. (@ 71st Rd.) Forest Hills – 71 Ave. Continental Ave. 71st Ave. Queen s Blvd. UA Midway 71st Rd. Fores t Hills LIRR R F EM YOU’RE INVITED TO THE JOURNEY CHURCH THIS SUNDAY, JUNE 2 FOR MIKE COOPER Pastor, The Journey Church [email protected] 212-730-8300 I’d like to personally invite you to The Journey Church THIS SUNDAY, June 2 for the start of our brand-new teaching series, GOD ON FILM. Discover what the Bible says about how to find your purpose in life as we kick off this series with “After Earth: Finding My Purpose Before It’s Too Late.” PLUS, this Sunday, June 2, every first-time guest will receive a FREE REGAL movie ticket after the service! It’s going to be a great day and I look forward to seeing you there! FREE MOVIE TICKET FOR EVERY FIRST-TIME GUEST THIS SUNDAY, JUNE 2! JOURNEY KIDZ: Bible lessons, activities and games to build a spiritual foundation for your children! For fifth grade and under during the worship service. Casual Dress | Practical Teaching | Rockin’ Music | Church That’s Actually FUN! www.JourneyQueens.com
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