#save5pointz

IllSpokin’, Warren Britt, Dyalekt, Normal, Mike Larry Draw, Broke MC, NYC Beatbox, Grey Matter, and Johnny Buffalo “#Save5pointz Keep The Lights On” (Freestyle Cypher) (Live @ Queens, New York 7/23/2013)

5 Pointz Forever!

Dance for 5 Pointz: A tribute to the graffiti mecca of the world.

YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAbCW4WRtbo Vimeo - https://vimeo.com/80589853

5pointz: Reflections of Memories

Queens, NY

2012

This past week, 5Pointz, was painted over. The building, nestled in the slowly-gentrifying industrial neighborhood of Long Island City, Queens, was a street art mecca, home to countless masterpieces from artists around the world.

5Pointz was one of the first places/things that made me feel like New York was home. Seven years ago when I moved to Queens, first seeing 5Pointz from the 7 train, it was like an explosion. I thought, "How can this exist? How is it allowed to exist?" It was a beautiful anomaly that burst out of the gray factory background. It was also a recognition - a belonging.

For new young transplants like me, New York is a city that often feels  inhospitable and unwelcoming - especially Queens, a borough of families. 5Pointz was one of those places that stunned you, but also felt familiar and open. There are only a few places like that for me: the Unisphere in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, ABC No Rio, and 5Pointz.

I visited 5Pointz as often as I could, taking practically all out-of-town guests to gape at the hundreds of individual pieces of art that covered the building. And when I couldn't make it down, always craning my neck on the 7 train ride, to see the new pieces, and the old ones too.

5Pointz was seemingly always in trouble, which made sense. It's an industrial building, with a business inside, and was covered by graffiti art. But this past year, the danger of shutdown became more real. The building's owner inked a deal so that the building could be knocked down and replaced with a condo apartment building - another in the swarm of upscale condos spreading through the neighborhood, taking advantage of the prized Manhattan skyline view.

Which brings us to now: 5Pointz whitewashed, painted over, slated to become just the latest soulless glass home for New York's young rich. The plans are drawn up - hilariously leaving out the 7 train, which will go thundering past the new apartments roughly once every two minutes. And all of the incredible art gone.

All we have left is the memories and the pictures we've taken, and the hope that some other spot will become the beautiful anomaly that 5Pointz was, waiting for some kid to see it and feel like he's home. Here's hoping.