From WNYC:
For years, the building has evolved in this way with the artwork. So the recent news that 5Pointz might be torn down came as a bit of a shock to artists and admirers of the space.
In March, Wolkoff proposed razing the warehouse and constructing two residential towers, plus retail space. His son David said the development would include a gym, a pool, a billiards room and hopefully other amenities that the neighborhood is lacking, like a supermarket.
But the Wolkoffs are also mindful of the art on the walls.
“We appreciate the art that’s there,” David said. “But there’s a bigger issue – there’s the issue of what Long Island City needs, or what we believe Long Island City needs, which is an exciting area.”
Wolkoff said the development may also include loft space for artists, and possibly, a wall in the back so graffiti artists can continue to paint.
“We believe that we can create a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week area, like downtown Brooklyn,” David said. “An exciting, great area. And it just hasn’t happened here in Long Island City, as of yet.”
Even though it could take years for the project to be completed, the news has prompted a global outpouring of support for 5Pointz, including independent petitions to save it.
18 comments:
Wolkoff appears to be generally full of hot air in regards to his mega-plans for developing this particular site!
Isn't Jerry, primarily just an aging megalomaniac, commercial slumlord?
His other "big" plans for a residential "village" in the far reaches of Suffolk County, on the former site of Pilgrim State Mental Hospital are somewhat ludicrous.
He's seems to be basically a bargain basement property hunter who scavanged up a collection of decrepit buildings about 3 decades ago and has held them until the present day with minimal maintenance or repair.
He's most likely laughed at by the real movers and shakers among NYC's elite developers.
Now he plans on building over the bones of "5 Pointz".
Lots of luck OLD MAN!
2 residential towers will not likely rise in his lifetime...maybe in his sons lifetimes.
Until then Wolkoff seeks the variance necessary to make his LIC property worth more on the open market.
The area is currently zoned for, we believe, a 20 story height.
But Jerry wants more...is it 40 stories now?
Maybe Wolkoff intends on flipping the property after the NYC Board of Standards and Appeals eventually grants him his variance.
With prime real estate development locations faltering along Vernon Boulevard, Wolkoff intends to build his "little city" on a crappy location...along noisy train routes, polluted terrain...despite dire predictions of a second wave recession about to hit in the near future.
Glad to see the "little king" think big...but how old are you now Mr. W?
The Wolkoff family has something up their sleeves and it's not for the betterment of his "beloved" art community or Long Island City's good wishes for that matter.
And Community board #1 is being dealt a card off the bottom of Jerry's deck!
WATCH OUT FOLKS...sSmebody's about to get the royal screw!
It's the fabulous world renown aerosol art masterpieces which adorn the walls at 5 Pointz that has made Wolkoff's slummy site worth more than it would have been, covered in graffiti tags as it had been years earlier.
Jerry is just bullshitting about his love for art.
Note: that the development, "...may also include..." loft spaces for artists and, "...possibly..." a spot for aerosol artist to paint.
LIAR, LIAR, pants on fire!
"MAY" and "POSSIBLY" are not guarantees.
They are weasel-words uttered to keep the artists soothed that they won't fear being evicted at a moments notice.
Ask those artists who formerly occupied Jerry Wolkoff's illegal loft conversions in the 5 Pointz building...when they were suddenly put out on the street...finding the site padlocked for serious violations!
Ask the still recovering artist Nicole who plummeted 40 feet down when a poorly maintained fire escape suddenly gave way beneath her, what she thinks of Wolkoff!
She, luckily survived...though with great injury.
G-d bless you Nicole...hope you're doing well.
CB#1, known as "the community board from hell"...because of their long standing track record of siding with developers...will (no doubt) approve of Wolkoff's plans.
Should they vote, perchance, to turn down Wolkoff's project...REMEMBER....a community board's vote is NON-BINDING!
It's ALL SHOW & NO BLOW!
Their vote is purely ADVISORY and the NYC Board of Standards and Appeals CAN OVERRIDE their advisory vote and grant Wolkoff his desired variance to build his twin 40 story towers.
FYI:
Mr. Wolkoff has been floating his plans for building on this site since I was a member of the board of directors of "Phun Phactory" (which preceded 5 Pointz) well over a decade ago.
Developing this site into a major museum along a developing museum row in Queens---would be a much more savvy move---than to add to the already existing glut of residential buildings in Long Island City.
Think ahead to a greater family legacy for New York City, Mr. Wolkoff and even bigger profits.
The numbers prove that!
JERRY ROTONDI,
Former trustee of the Queens Historical society; The Fort Totten Conservancy; Coalition For A Planned Flushing.
“But there’s a bigger issue – there’s the issue of what Long Island City needs, or what we believe Long Island City needs, which is an exciting area.”
It's really an issue of HE WANTS MONEY, Long Island city matters not to him.
“We believe that we can create a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week area, like downtown Brooklyn,” David said. “An exciting, great area. And it just hasn’t happened here in Long Island City, as of yet.”
Basically Williamsburg has been sucked of all its culture and now the hipsters need a new host to conduct their cultural vampirism/symbiosis.
Anon No 4-
CB 1 is likely not to care, since 5 Pointz is in CB 2 (not that they're any better).
Develop 5 Points so that: A) You can buy a crappy condo and have your apartment shake from the 7 train rumbling by every 15 min B) Losing their only legal spot to do graffiti vandals turn back to private property.
5 Points is a genius idea weather you are for or against "street art". At the end of the day let a kid paint legally rather than risk the thousands in damage to private property
What Long Island City needs [I kid you not]: "a billiards room"
02:43
CB1,CB2; Does it really matter? The Community Board system in NYC is an implosion waiting to happen. These are all unelected officials with lifetime (unpaid) positions and if you read their bylaws you'll see that their is no way for the public to remove them. They need to be abolished or at the very least given term limits. Isn't strange that D.A. Brown has never found anything to investigate in any of these Boards?
Community boards...
either #1 (piss) or #2 (shit)...they're both excrement!
And as far as Jerry Wolkoff is concerned...he's just one of your generic run-of-the-mill greedy SOBs.
After he croaks, his sons will only squander the fortune he's spent his lifetime building.
It happens every time.
"You bring nothing into this world. You take nothing out of it".
"Thanks dad for all the gelt (money) you left us. We're going to Disney World"!
Daddy will someday be rolling over in his grave while the family wines & dines daddy's $$$$$ away.
And what will the Wolcoff legacy be to LIC, Queens, NYC ?
Greed and destruction...as is always the legacy of an ignorant barbarian.
I met Wolcoff on several occasions.
He's loud, arrogant, boastful, and low class despite his wealth...like a mini-mobster...Damon Runyon character.
Being deposited onto his Davis Street loading dock domain in a black chauffeur driven limo doesn't make him an aristocrat.
He's just a low born street thug who's made his money off the misery of others.
Word has it that he grew up around Coney Island...then married well...and built his commercial warehouse real estate "empire" off of his wife's money.
Wasn't her family connected to a major Las Vegas casino/hotel?
The whole area is a toxic site...possibly even a Federal "brown field".
He ain't building shit without major very expensive remediation!
Because the deeper you dig for a 40 story building's foundation, the more crap in the soil gets unearthed.
Witness what at what happened at Rockrose Development's site adjacent to the iconic Pepsi Cola sign on the East River.
As they dug for laying a foundation on the site...of what once was an old refinery...the stench of old oil oozed from the big hole!
Result...they had to remove and replace mega-tons of contaminated soil and replace it with clean fill.
In the meantime the neighborhood stank for months!
Walcoff is most likely looking to flip his property or seeking a partner for the project.
He doesn't have enough money to build his twin towers on his own.
We've got your number Jerry!
Didn't Rockrose eventually go bankrupt?
Yes, they did!
So Jerry Walcoff is an art lover...eh?
LOL!
Maybe he's got a Marc Chagall hanging in his posh pre-war Park Avenue apartment...huh?
But one thing for certain...he certainly loves each and every one of his dead presidents' portraits.
No doubt, he trokes his wallet each morning before breakfast and gets off reading his monthly bank statements.
Ya like readin' all dis shit David?
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