By Joe Anuta
The city is scheduled to decide next week whether high-rise condos will replace the storied 5Pointz building in Long Island City.
The City Planning Commission has scheduled a vote for Aug. 21 that could allow the Wolkoff family to tear down the graffitied walls of the abandoned warehouse and replace it with two residential towers 41 and 47 stories tall.
The commission’s decision could be the last stop for the proposal, which seeks to circumvent zoning laws to build 1,000 residential units in the towers, along with ground-level retail, outdoor space and about 12,000 square feet set aside for artist studios.
After the commission makes its call, the City Council has the option to bring it up for a vote. The law-making body has 50 days to approve the plan, modify it or reject the proposal outright, though members must make a decision whether to review the application within 20 days. If lawmakers do nothing, the permit will be granted as City Planning envisions it.
Many of the community amenities — including a 50-by-200-foot exhibit space designed to pay homage to the current aerosol art-covered building — were not included in the proposal when it was panned by Community Board 2 in June, according to Chairman Joe Conley, who said the new plan is much more responsive to community needs.
“We have a better project than we had back in June,” he said. “We talked to both Wolkoffs and they were very agreeable. We think it’s a good start and we are looking forward to working with them.”
One of the board’s main concerns was affordable housing.
Owner David Wolkoff and his father, Long Island developer Jerry Wolkoff, had requested permission to build more than the allowable floor area to make the project economically feasible, but the board wanted to see some affordable units included should the duo be granted the right to exceed the area’s zoning controls.
Borough President Helen Marshall gave the thumbs-up in July.
“I had some concerns about this application,” she said in a statement, “but I believe those concerns have been adequately addressed by the developer’s promise to Community Board 2 to provide affordable housing and other community benefits as part of the project.”
But one group who has not been appeased is the artists who have covered the walls with one-of-a-kind graffiti.
The building has become a tourist attraction for Long Island City and a beacon for the burgeoning artist community there.
The painters are vehemently opposed to the development of the warehouse and vowed to fight it until the end.
Reach reporter Joe Anuta by e-mail at januta@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4566.
