Tag Archives: Long Island City

By Michael Arnold

5Pointz in Long Island City, Queens.

5Pointz is a massive warehouse in Queens ensconced beneath layers of street art, appropriately nicknamed the “Graffiti Mecca.” As the westbound 7 train wraps around this complex, the Manhattan skyline can be seen – the finishing touch to this urban industrial picture.

To the dismay of graffiti artists throughout the five boroughs, however, 5Pointz may be bulldozed in the near future. In April 2011, the property owner, Jerry Wolkoff, met with city planning officials and announced plans to build two 40-foot-tall high rises and a shopping mall. Despite being unclear about exactly when construction will take place, artists and street art appreciators have been outwardly defiant.

Some people have likened the outrage felt at the tearing down of 5Pointz to the razing of the Guggenheim or the MoMA. A Facebook group called Show Ur Love to 5Pointz has been launched with thousands of fans showing support for the protection of this graffiti museum.

5Pointz is a Graffiti Haven Like No Other

Artists are only allowed to graffiti with a permit. Permits are granted by appointment, and only the finest, most credible, street artists are allotted a spot to graffiti. For decades street artists have been going through this process to create a building almost entirely covered in a myriad colors of paints, graphics and tags

The 5Pointz Appointment Office.

Whether or not one appreciates graffiti, this complex has transformed from a broken-down warehouse to a visually stunning display of art. It predates the gentrification of its surrounding neighborhood of Long Island City, and is a contribution to NYC culture in its own right.

Until Wolkoff decides to go forth with the construction, graffiti artists throughout the city will be saying their goodbyes to this unique museum.

A close up on the exterior wall of the warehouse.

Photographs by Michael Arnold.