Queens graffiti center to be demolished

A Queens industrial building that has for a decade served as a five-story canvas for a rotating roster of international graffiti artists has been tagged for demolition.

The 5Pointz Aerosol Art Center, a 200,000-square-foot Long Island City structure covered in hundreds of spray-painted images, is set to be replaced by high-rise residences, possibly in a matter of months, according to the Edgewood developers who own it.

"We really do love the arts, but it's time for a change. This is an up-and-coming neighborhood," said David Wolkoff, whose family built the Heartland business parks in Edgewood and Hauppauge. "We want to bring more vibrancy to the area."

News of the impending loss of 5Pointz has spurred protests by fans around the world who've dubbed the spot a "graffiti mecca." The "Show Ur Love to 5Pointz" online petition had more than 3,800 signatures as of Sunday, and celebrities such as Joss Stone and Jadakiss -- who've both shot music videos at 5Pointz -- are rallying behind the site.

Jonathan Cohen, 38, a Flushing graffiti artist and curator of 5Pointz, acknowledged that Wolkoff's father, Jerry, who has owned the building for 40 years, has allowed street artists to use it for free since 5Pointz's inception a decade ago.

"I'm very grateful for his allowing us to do what we do," said Cohen, who goes by the tag name Meres One, "but it's a shame he doesn't see what's here. His understanding of the art form is nonexistent."

Cohen said he desperately wants to save the block-long 5Pointz but admitted his hands are tied because he doesn't own the building.

"I'm just going to say that when 5Pointz is gone, down the line at some point, people are going to regret it," he said.

The Wolkoffs are in talks with the city planning department about the "look and feel" of the new development but have not yet applied for building permits, David Wolkoff said. While city planning officials said they have not received a formal application for the project, the plot is zoned for mixed-use development.

"Right now, it's still several months away, but we're moving forward," Wolkoff said.

An initial proposal in March put the project's price tag at $300 million for luxury apartment towers and a commercial complex. The redevelopment has since been scaled back and the final scope still being worked out.

The latest plans are for 900 to 1,000 rental apartment units and some working artists' lofts, Wolkoff said. The building will have street art incorporated on certain walls and courtyards, he said. "Not as much as it is now, though. We can't have graffiti on every inch of the building," he said.

The 5Pointz razing is supported by Community Board 2 officials, who agreed with Wolkoff that the neighborhood is in transition thanks, in part, to new development including the Citigroup Building and United Nations Federal Credit Union bureau.

"The bad news is that it's coming down, and the good news is that it's coming down," said board chairman Joe Conley. " . . . That building is an obsolete building."