By Bill Parry
5 Pointz will be a memory within a couple of weeks now that demolition crews have attacked the main building. It’s the final step to remove the old warehouse complex that became famous and attracted aerosol graffiti artists from around the world from 1993 until last November when owner Gerry Wolkoff ordered the walls to be white-washed.
“We started on the five-story main building on Monday,” Wolkoff said. “It should be gone in two weeks and then we will start the clean-up process. We’ll start digging the foundation in early spring as soon as the ground thaws a bit.”
In its place will rise two luxury residential high-rise towers, one 47 stories and the other 41, containing 1,100 rental apartments. The $400 million project will include 50,000 square-feet of retail space, a new public park and space set aside for the artists’ return.
“I say it all the time, they’ll come back,” Wolkoff said. “I feel good because I know this is good for the community. They’re going to be the coolest buildings in New York and everyone’s going to want to live there and that’s going to help all the local businesses. Everybody’s going to be happy.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4538
