With Tenants Moving Out, A Last Look Inside 5 Pointz

Four months after the stairway collapse at 5 Pointz, artists in the Jackson Avenue Studios are in the final stages of vacating. Owners closed the building in July after they were told by the Department of Buildings that a new certificate of occupancy would have to be issued. In a letter to his tenants, Jerry Wolkoff said, "by reason of the requirements of the New York City building code it is both physically and financially impossible for us to obtain a new certificate of occupancy for these buildings."

Despite getting a fresh coat of exterior paint, everyone has to be out by this Saturday, August 22nd. After that, the owners said he may turn it back into a factory for now.

We stopped by Sunday to take one last look inside the hallways, stairwell and roof of the Long Island City building.

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By tien mao in Arts and Events on August 17, 2009 3:48 PM

Comments [rss]

King

I wish you had actually come "inside" to see the real sad sights. We were about 200 artists working in what was known as Crane Street Studios - and we are the ones moving out, not Five Pointz, who will continue doing their work on the outside of the building.

rbeshenk

My boy did a burner there on a cherrypicker the other day. Gotta send these to him. Thanks Tien. Good looks.

dorkasaurus_rex

i mourn the loss. that stairway was one of my favorite places in all of nyc.

spnder

I love walking around that building.

TrippinJoJo

i know some people hate graffiti but damn these are cool

SikBug

If they aren't going to keep it going, then why the repaint?

tien

I think they sometimes repaint the building for a fresh canvas. And if they're going the factory route, they're going to clear out the interior partitions/divisions to get that new C of O.