16 The Queens Courier • july 24, 2014 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com 5Pointz demolition expected to begin in August: reports THE COURIER/Photo by Angy Altamirano BY ANGY ALTAMIRANO aaltamirano@queenscourier.com @aaltamirano The Long Island City site which once was home to the graffiti mecca known as 5Pointz could soon be gone. Jerry Wolkoff, owner of the property on Jackson Avenue and Davis Street, said he hopes to begin demolishing the buildings in August after initially wanting to have started tearing down the site months ago, according to published reports. The demolition is expected to take up to three months to finish. Wolkoff and his company, G&M Realty, hope to build two apartment towers — one 47 stories and the other 41 stories tall — with close to 1,000 rental apartments, 32,000 square feet of outdoor public space and 50,000 square feet of retail space between them. In October, the City Council approved the developer’s proposal to build apartment towers to larger dimensions than allowed by current zoning rules. Last November, Wolkoff ordered to have the building and all the aerosol work that covered it painted white overnight only a few days after artists and supporters held rallies looking to save the graffiti mecca and requesting the site be landmarked. Wolkoff previously said the towers would include about 20 artist studios and outdoor walls designated for artists. Wolkoff did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Queens natives start ‘non-touristy’ food tour of borough BY ANGY ALTAMIRANO aaltamirano@queenscourier.com/@aaltamirano28 The founders of a new walking food tour, which is making its start in Long Island City, are looking to prove that Queens is the “king of the boroughs.” Queens natives Richard Mumith and Sergey Kadinsky started the company Locals Finds Queens Food Tours to share their love for the diverse borough and bring tourists across the East River. “We essentially started up for the tourists but now a lot of natives are becoming part of it, too,” Mumith said. “We now want Queens locals to really see what is in their backyard.” The three-hour tours, which began July 13 and take place every Sunday, look to combine the history, culture and food of the borough in what Mumith calls a “non-touristy, off-the-beaten-path experience.” Every Sunday eight participants, who are told the meeting point after purchasing tickets, get together and sample food from six local Long Island City establishments, while also being given a tour by Kadinsky, who is a licensed tour guide, on the history and present details on the western Queens neighborhood. The stops of the tour include Manducatis Rustica, Woodbines Craft Kitchen, Sweetleaf, Alobar, Rockaway Brewing Company and Sage General Store. Mumith said the tours are starting in Long Island City because it is close to Manhattan and also has an “amazing industrial manufacturing history and artistic presence.” “We’re really here to create a relationship with the communities,” Mumith said. However, Mumith hopes to expand the tours into full weekends in Long Island City and later move them further into other Queens neighborhood such as Astoria and Flushing. “We’re here to stay. We’re here to do all the great borough of Queens and each neighborhood presents something unique,” he said. The Briarwood resident is even challenging the other four boroughs to try and beat the diversity and distinct cuisines offered in Queens. “What people don’t know, when it comes to the culinary scene, Queens is the king of the boroughs,” Mumith said. Tickets for the tours are $56 for adults and $42 for children 12 and under. The price of tickets include the tour, which begins every Sunday at 11 a.m., food tastings and an exclusive brochure featuring a map of the neighborhood, list of attractions, other restaurant recommendations and list of things to do. For more information visit foodsofqueensny.com or call 800-656-0713. Photo Courtesy of Richard Mumith Local Finds Queens Food Tours, which began July 13, hopes to highlight the history, culture and food of Queens. Photo Courtesy of Richard Mumith Local Finds Queens Food Tours, which began July 13, hopes to highlight the history, culture and food of Queens.
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